ArticleCMAJ open
The impact of delayed nonurgent surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic on surgeons in Alberta: a qualitative interview 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 9 papers.
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Who cites it
9 citing papers in PubMed, 13 citations in OpenAlex.
- Trends in Paediatric surgerical volume and associated mortality in England: a nationwide study over an eight year period.BJA open · 2025Article
- Healthcare Priorities for Surgical Care in Canada.Annals of surgery open : perspectives of surgical history, education, and clinical approaches · 2025Review
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- Influence of SARS-CoV2 Pandemic on Colorectal Cancer Diagnosis, Presentation, and Surgical Management in a Tertiary Center: A Retrospective Study.Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- 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
- Delivery and Prioritization of Surgical Care in Canada During COVID-19: An Environmental Scan.International journal of health policy and management · 2023Article
- A Qualitative Study on the Role of Single-Entry Models in Managing Surgical Backlogs in Pediatric Otolaryngology Part 1: Investigating Perceptions of Referring Physicians and Otolaryngologists.Journal of otolaryngology - head & neck surgery = Le Journal d'oto-rhino-laryngologie et de chirurgie cervico-facialeArticle
- A Qualitative Study on the Role of Single-Entry Models in Managing Surgical Backlogs in Pediatric Otolaryngology Part 2: Investigating Perceptions of Patients and Their Caregivers.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 at 4 institutions in 3 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, nonurgent surgeries were delayed to preserve capacity for patients admitted with COVID-19; surgeons were challenged personally and professionally during this time. We aimed to describe the impact of delays to nonurgent surgeries during the COVID-19 pandemic from the surgeons' perspective in Alberta.
methodsWe conducted an interpretive description qualitative study in Alberta from January to March 2022. We recruited adult and pediatric surgeons via social media and through personal contacts from our research network. Semistructured interviews were conducted via Zoom, and we analyzed the data via inductive thematic analysis to identify relevant themes and subthemes related to the impact of delaying nonurgent surgery on surgeons and their provision of surgical care.
resultsWe conducted 12 interviews with 9 adult surgeons and 3 pediatric surgeons. Six themes were identified: accelerator for a surgical care crisis, health system inequity, system-level management of disruptions in surgical services, professional and interprofessional impact, personal impact, and pragmatic adaptation to health system strain. Participants also identified strategies to mitigate the challenges experienced due to nonurgent surgical delays during the COVID-19 pandemic (i.e., additional operating time, surgical process reviews to reduce inefficiencies, and advocacy for sustained funding of hospital beds, human resources and community-based postoperative care).
interpretationOur study describes the impacts and challenges experienced by adult and pediatric surgeons of delayed nonurgent surgeries because of the COVID-19 pandemic response. Surgeons identified potential health system-, hospital- and physician-level strategies to minimize future impacts on patients from delays of nonurgent surgery.
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