Open letter to Richmond Hospital,
Since your birth as the Richmond Hospital in 1966 serving 50,000 residents, you have provided quality healthcare for the taxpayers.
Today, your facility provides care to more than 200,000 residents. I understand with the increased demand as a result of such a population bump, decisions have to be made regarding resources. Eye surgeries will soon be e transferred to St. Joseph’s in Vancouver.
Although, a well-run health care provider, its facilities are also taxed to the limit. With 500 people waiting for eye surgery in Richmond, were the stakeholders blindsided by this decision or was there consultation? I would suspect that seniors, many with limitations, will have trouble getting to said facility.
Vancouver Coastal Health said this decision was made to create a better experience for patients and to free up operating room time in Richmond for more appropriate surgeries.Are sight-saving cataract surgeries not considered appropriate, and is a 14-kilometre drive to St. Joseph’s a better experience?
Jon Henderson
RICHMOND
(A Richmond resident of 42 years still waiting…patiently)
