The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA), along with the Ministry of Health, have issued a request for proposal (RFP) to provide additional hip and knee surgeries in Regina.

The RFP will begin the process to find potential third parties to provide up to 3,000 elective orthopedic surgeries per year, according to a release from the SHA.

Minister of Health, Paul Merriman, said issuing the RFP will help tackle the waitlist.

Saskatchewan has forged very successful relationships with third parties for several years to provide publicly-funded, privately-delivered surgeries, which serve to add capacity for the system,” he said in the release.

The details of the RFP include a stand-alone surgery facility focused on orthopedics, increasing bed capacity for in-patient joint replacements, and day surgery procedures.

There are currently around 8,000 patients in Saskatchewan waiting for joint replacements, and the SHA said projections show the demand for orthopedic surgeries in the province will rise.

“Our surgical teams are dedicated to working through a number of challenges to address the surgical waitlist,” Vice President of Integrated Urban Health and Chief Nursing Officer for SHA, Sharon Garratt said in the release.

The submission deadline is 2 p.m. on Sept. 12, and it is anticipated that services will be available on or before Dec. 31, 2023.

More information on the process and timelines of the RFP can be found on the SaskTenders website.