Cochranite's will soon have increased access to orthopedic hip and knee surgeries in Calgary. 

Health Minister Jason Copping announced today that the Health Care Action Plan will be adding more surgeries at hospitals and chartered surgical facilities. That means that many Albertans who are suffering in pain waiting for life-changing knee and hip surgeries will see accelerated access to the procedures. 

Copping says, "I am pleased to announce that Canadian Surgeries Solutions will provide 3000 orthopedic surgeries per year under a contract to AHS at two locations in the city of Calgary. Those surgeries are in addition to surgeries done in hospitals. This contract will increase total orthopedic surgeries in Calgary by 21 per cent. 

In addition, Copping says they will be increasing operating rooms in Alberta hospitals to address the need to decrease surgical wait times. At Foothills Hospital, eleven new operating rooms will be added and set to open in 2025. In addition, the plan is to add new or expand operating rooms in Edmonton, Edson Grande Prairie Lethbridge Medicine Hat, and Rocky Mountain House which will come to fruition using $133 million from budget 2022. 

Copping says, "Right now there are about 6,000 people waiting for orthopedic surgeries in Calgary alone and they are waiting too long. About half the patients waiting for a new hip are waiting too long and two-thirds of patients waiting for a knee."