Annual report notes less operations in 1998-99 THE North Shore Health Region’s annual report reveals that 696 less surgical BR. DEBRA ROVINELU DR. BART McROBERTS DR. CORININE KNIGHT DR. NANCY HARSIN WEST VANCOUVER OPTOMETRY CL:NIC 1069 24th Street (24th & Haywood) Saturday and evening appointments available. procedures were done at Lions Gate Hospital in the 1998- 1999 budget year than the previous year. The recently released annual repert states the drop was duc to a “series of physician implemented Reduced Activity Days (RADs) and a shortage of operation roam staff.” Surgical procedures numbered 13,338 at Lions Gate Hospital (LGH) i 1998-1999. The surgical wait list grew 23% again attributed to RADs and staif short- ages, according to the North Shore Health Regioi (NSHR) report. The 1998-1999 budger year ended on March 31. Qn that date, there were 783 people waiting for oph- thalmology surgery, 633 for orthopedics and 570 for general surgery. The ealth region board’s goal was to reduce the waitlist by 20% within a year, in part by providing More operating room time. LGH has 332 beds, about 2,500 employees and a medical staff of more than 240. The health — region's annual report states thar 45,972 “visits” were logged at LGH’s — emergency department. Less than 10% of people who came to the Emergency department were admitted to a hospital ward. But health region infor- mation indicated that there was a severity of sickness among people admitted to hospital. The “number of veniila- tor days” or time spent by patients externally assisted in breathing increased by a as much as 42% from the previous year, according to the report. People breathing through ventilator machines are cared for in the Intensive Care and Cardiac Care units. The health region report notes that with patients ris- ing in their degree of sick- ness, “the potential for fur- ther strain on NSHR resources became. greater” at the end cf the: 1998- 1999 budget year. “growing level” of Lions Gate hospitara’ cardiac and ov poms grem, will soon de i iding new bikes’ danziod nior's Foundation of B.C. to the hoapitat for 2 yea wil ~ St: Vincent Ss 5, Hospitat . HigeCtatone me: | colourful i ads! 49 West gard 3 Ave. ¥ Vancouver runners: “up are on’ “aeilay in the _ lobby of the Centen: nial Theatre.