SHA CEO Scott Livingstone speaking at a media briefing (Government of Saskatchewan)

By paNOW Staff

health care

Some Sask. health services resume but it’s not business as usual

May 20, 2020 | 3:21 PM

The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) is reminding the public that while some health services are resuming amid the COVID-19 outbreak there will be the need for patience. And the head of the authority made it clear things were not returning to normal.

​Saskatche​wan has entered its first phase of service resumption, which means that in pockets of the province some everyday health services are being provided to the public, according to a media release issued by SHA Wednesday.

In most ca​ses, the public will have a different health care experience than prior to the pandemic due to the additional measures put in place to protect patients and staff, including:

• adap​​tation of waiting room practices to promote physical distancing;
• additional em​phasis on virtual care, wherever possible; and
• additional sc​reening at health care facilities.

​The S​HA is asking for patience as these practices are necessary for safety reasons, but may cause some delay for patients seeking care.

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“I’d like to stress once again that just because these services have started to open we are in no way back to normal,” the SHA’s chief executive officer Scott Livingstone told reporters Wednesday. “The resumption plan will occur in phases. Not every part of the province will see services resume at the same time or in the same way.”

​Health serv​ices being resumed will be published at the link below, in conjunction with direct or local communications to patients and clients. Patients are encouraged to check the SHA website before they visit at saskhealthauthority.ca/service-resumption.

Surgical patients are reminded that they will be contacted by their physicians, if their surgery is to be included within the expanded “urgent six week” surgeries. You are not required to follow-up with your doctor. Specific information on surgical wait times can be found on the Saskatchewan Surgical Initiative website.

Det​​ails on the SHA’s Service Resumption Plan can be found at saskatchewan.ca/COVID-19 under Health System Pandemic Response.

​Effective Reproduct​​​ive Number

A statisti​c being reported weekly in Saskatchewan is the Effective Reproductive Number (ERN). The ERN reflects the average number of people one person with the virus in Saskatchewan is likely to infect at the current time, after the effects of interventions have been factored in. An ERN consistently below 1.0 means the virus is being managed effectively through personal and public health preventative measures.

This past week, the models have been further enhanced to incorporate improved access to real-time data, resulting in a clearer picture of ERN in local areas, particularly in the Far North-North. The ERN has continued to decline to 1.87 in the Far North-North reflecting a sl​​​owing in the spread of the virus, although it is still above 1.0. The rest of the province remains relatively stable at 0.62.​

SHA to Expa​nd Testing

Starting on ​May 25, 2020, Saskatchewan residents can call Healthline 811 to determine if they can be referred for testing based on the additional expanded testing guidelines.

panews@jpbg.ca

On Twitter:@princealbertnow