Number of surgeries performed at HUS increased in 2024
Keywords:A total of 91,572 surgeries were performed at HUS last year. The number of surgeries increased by 4 percent on the previous year. Especially the number of elective, or planned, surgeries increased.
A total of 91,572 surgeries were performed at HUS last year. Photo: Matti Snellman/HUS.
One of the success stories in 2024 was the increased number of operations in neurosurgery and the decrease in surgery waiting times. The number of neurological surgeries increased as much as 32 percent on the previous year.
The amount of operating room hours at HUS totaled 204,496, an increase of 5.5 percent on 2023.
The number of surgeries increased mainly in Bridge Hospital, Park Hospital, and Jorvi Hospital.
In addition to neurosurgery, the number of performed operations grew especially in gastrointestinal surgery. The numbers also increased in plastic and cardiac surgery.
HUS hospitals have 159 operating rooms in total, and the Center for Perioperative and Intensive Care Medicine is in charge of the majority of them, which is 115 ORs. Gynecology and Obstetrics, the Head and Neck Center, and Children and Adolescents also have operating rooms that those departments are in charge of.
“Last year, the number of surgeries increased especially in the units that belong to the Center for Perioperative and Intensive Care Medicine. The operating room time increased by 7 percent and the number of procedures increased by 6 percent on 2023. Now, our goal is to increase the number of surgeries performed during office hours to bring down the waiting lists,” says Anne Vakkuri, acting director of Center for Perioperative and Intensive Care Medicine.
However, the number of patients waiting for surgery is still high. More than 6,500 patients currently on surgery waiting lists at HUS have been waiting longer than the statutory care guarantee time, which is six months.
The waiting lists with the most patients are cataract surgery, and joint replacement surgery for the knee or hip.
The reserve pool prevented cancelling 850 operating room days
A good example of the development of operating room work is the reserve staff pool of surgical and anesthesia nurses, which was launched a year ago. In 2024, the pool prevented cancelling up to 850 operating room days.
“Our reserve staff consists of experienced nurses who are qualified to work in several surgical units in different hospitals and specialties. The pool’s professionals step in when surgeries would otherwise have had to be cancelled, for example due to staff members falling ill,” explains Nurse Director Satu Poikajärvi from the division Perioperative III.
The HUS media service is available for the media Mon–Thu 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. and Fri 10:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m., tel. 050 427 2875, or via e-mail: viestinta@hus.fi.