ArticleCMAJ open
The impact of delaying surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic in Alberta: a qualitative study.
Article in CMAJ open. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 14 papers.
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Who cites it
14 citing papers in PubMed.
- Frailty of Health Care Systems.Canadian geriatrics journal : CGJ · 2025Article
- Perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection and postoperative complications: a single-centre retrospective cohort study in China.BMJ open · 2025Observational
- Academic Output of Anesthesiology Departments in Canada From 2014 to 2023: A Bibliometric Analysis Study.Cureus · 2025Review
- Rate of Retained Surgical Foreign Bodies in Texas Medicare Beneficiaries: Post-Pandemic Analysis.Cureus · 2025Article
- Article
- Influence of SARS-CoV2 Pandemic on Colorectal Cancer Diagnosis, Presentation, and Surgical Management in a Tertiary Center: A Retrospective Study.Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Impact of The COVID-19 Pandemic on Salivary Gland-related Healthcare Interventions; A Systematic Review And Meta-analysis :.Galen medical journal · 2025Review
- Patient-reported harm following cancellation of planned surgery at a Danish university hospital: a cross-sectional study.BMJ open · 2024Article
- Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) guided gynecologic/oncology surgery - The patient's perspective.Gynecologic oncology reports · 2024Article
- Consequences of delaying non-urgent surgeries during COVID-19: a population-based retrospective cohort study in Alberta, Canada.BMJ open · 2024Article
- Stress, anxiety, and illness perception in patients experiencing delay in operative care due to the COVID-19 pandemic.Gynecologic oncology reports · 2023Article
- Delivery and Prioritization of Surgical Care in Canada During COVID-19: An Environmental Scan.International journal of health policy and management · 2023Article
- "My Quality of Life is Not There. I'm Dying Here. I Cannot Take This Anymore." Exploring Patient Experiences With Surgical Wait Times in Otolaryngology: A Mixed Methods Study.Journal of otolaryngology - head & neck surgery = Le Journal d'oto-rhino-laryngologie et de chirurgie cervico-facialeArticle
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Authors and funding
8 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic overwhelmed health care systems, leading many jurisdictions to reduce surgeries to create capacity (beds and staff) to care for the surge of patients with COVID-19; little is known about the impact of this on patients whose surgery was delayed. The objective of this study was to understand the patient and family/caregiver perspective of having a surgery delayed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
methodsUsing an interpretative descriptive approach, we conducted interviews between Sept. 20 and Oct. 8, 2021. Adult patients who had their surgery delayed or cancelled during the COVID-19 pandemic in Alberta, Canada, and their family/caregivers were eligible to participate. Trained interviewers conducted semistructured interviews, which were iteratively analyzed by 2 independent reviewers using an inductive approach to thematic content analysis.
resultsWe conducted 16 interviews with 15 patients and 1 family member/caregiver, ranging from 27 to 75 years of age, with a variety of surgical procedures delayed. We identified 4 interconnected themes: individual-level impacts on physical and mental health, family and friends, work and quality of life; system-level factors related to health care resources, communication and perceived accountability within the system; unique issues related to COVID-19 (maintaining health and isolation); and uncertainty about health and timing of surgery.
interpretationAlthough the decision to delay nonurgent surgeries was made to manage the strain on health care systems, our study illustrates the consequences of these decisions, which were diffuse and consequential. The findings of this study highlight the need to develop and adopt strategies to mitigate the burden of waiting for surgery during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
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