Equipment sterilization problem at Whitehorse hospital seems OK now, officials say

The Whitehorse hospital will begin a return to its regular surgery schedule next week, after more than two months of disruptions because of problems with equipment sterilization.

In a statement on Wednesday night, the Yukon Hospital Corporation said that after a "significant period of uncertainty," things seem to be working fine now.  

"Over the last two weeks, we've seen progress on a number of fronts, which gives us confidence that we're at a point where we can now clean and sterilize instruments that are safe to use," reads the statement. 

"Our patients ... will start to see the return to a regular surgical schedule as of Monday."

The issue was traced to mineralization or hardness in the water not meeting water quality standards.

Tiffany Boyd, CEO of the hospital corporation, said that hospital drinking water is "completely safe," but said medical sterilization equipment is sensitive and requires a higher degree of water purity.

Regular maintenance, daily monitoring and small interventions – like water softeners and steam filters to separate mineralization – are part of the solution, Boyd said.

The hospital corporation said the problem began in January when hospital staff noticed "residue and staining" on surgical instruments that had already been cleaned. 

That prompted the hospital to cancel dozens of scheduled surgeries while a review was undertaken to figure out what was going on. The hospital corporation said then that it was conserving resources and that there were sterile instrument kits set aside for emergency surgeries. 

Last month, the hospital corporation said an independent group of experts studied the hospital's systems and processes and offered some "initial observations," with more recommendations expected to follow.

"Our partner consultants and experts have validated the steps we've taken, affirmed that we were seeing improved results, and provided recommended improvements for the longer-term reliability of our on-site sterilization service," the statement on Wednesday reads.

"Testing with our sterilizers continued over the past week with repeated good outcomes. This work is supported by an enhanced policy and 'stain guide' that contains information for our staff to assess whether a piece of equipment or instrument is accepted for use."

It also says the hospital now has more "redundant capacity," with more equipment, and the ability for sterilization support through the Vancouver General Hospital. 

Boyd confirmed that 165 surgeries have been cancelled to date. The majority – 135 – were cataract surgeries, 16 were joint surgeries, and a few were laparoscopic procedures.

The hospital corporation is working to reschedule everyone. Boyd says they are looking for ways to boost the number of surgeries by extending the work day or scheduling surgeries on the weekends. Boyd says she is "very confident" that the cataract procedures will be rebooked within a "reasonable amount of time."

The statement also says a report detailing the hospital's actions and interventions over the last couple of months will be made public in the coming months, along with recommendations from the independent expert review.