A total of 91,572 surgeries were performed at HUS last year. Photo: Matti Snellman/HUS
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A total of 91,572 surgeries were performed at HUS hospitals in 2024, marking a 4% increase from the previous year. The number of planned, elective surgeries saw the most significant rise.
One of the key developments was the increase in neurosurgical procedures and the reduction in waiting times. The number of neurological surgeries rose by 32% compared to 2023.
Operating room hours also increased, reaching a total of 204,496 hours, a 5.5% rise from the previous year. The largest increases in surgical activity were recorded at Bridge Hospital, Park Hospital, and Jorvi Hospital.
In addition to neurosurgery, the number of gastrointestinal, plastic, and cardiac surgeries also grew.
HUS hospitals have 159 operating rooms, with the Center for Perioperative and Intensive Care Medicine managing 115 of them. Additional operating rooms are under the responsibility of the Gynecology and Obstetrics unit, the Head and Neck Center, and the Children and Adolescents unit.
Anne Vakkuri, acting director of the Center for Perioperative and Intensive Care Medicine, highlighted the growth in surgical procedures. “Last year, the number of surgeries increased especially in units under our center. Operating room time increased by 7%, and the number of procedures rose by 6% compared to 2023. Now, our goal is to perform more surgeries during office hours to reduce waiting lists,” she said.
Despite the increase in surgical capacity, the number of patients waiting for surgery remains high. Over 6,500 patients on the waiting list have exceeded the statutory six-month care guarantee period. The longest queues are for cataract surgeries and joint replacements for knees and hips.
To address staffing challenges and prevent surgery cancellations, HUS introduced a reserve staff pool for surgical and anesthesia nurses in 2024. This initiative helped prevent the cancellation of 850 operating room days.
Satu Poikajärvi, nurse director of Perioperative III, described the impact of the reserve staff. “Our team consists of experienced nurses qualified to work across different surgical units and specialties. They step in when surgeries would otherwise be cancelled due to staff absences,” she said.
HT
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Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
