Lakeridge Health is proving that world-class surgical innovation doesn’t just belong in big cities – it thrives in community hospitals

What does surgical innovation look like in 2025? At Lakeridge Health, it means helping more people heal at home – and setting new standards for surgical excellence across Ontario.  

Across four of our hospitals – Ajax Pickering, Bowmanville, Oshawa, and Port Perry – and at the Jerry Coughlan Health and Wellness Centre, our teams perform 61,000 elective and life-saving surgeries each year, ensuring patients receive expert care when they need it most – because timely access can make all the difference in recovery and outcomes. 

But our goal isn’t just to do more surgeries – it’s to make every patient’s experience safer, smoother, and closer to home. 

Expanding Access and Elevating Outcomes

Through new models of care, advanced technology, and a commitment to patient-centred innovation, more people are getting the care they need closer to home. 
Just five years ago, same-day discharge after hip or knee replacement surgery wasn’t possible.  

Today, roughly a third of our patients return home within hours – supported by remote monitoring and virtual follow-up. We know people want to recover faster and so by 2026, we aim to have 40 per cent of patients requiring total joint surgery going home the day of surgery giving more patients the comfort and confidence of recovering at home. 

In North Pickering, the Jerry Coughlan Health and Wellness Centre, now in its second year, has helped us complete over 10,000 additional surgeries. One of the only outpatient surgical centres of its kind in the GTA is reducing wait times and improving access across the region. 

Innovation in Action 

Entering its third year, Lakeridge Health’s robotic surgery program is transforming care across Durham Region. Affectionately named Optimus, the da Vinci Surgical System allows surgeons to perform safer, more precise procedures, helping patients recover faster with fewer complications. 

Since its launch in 2023, the team has exceeded performance targets each year, completing more than 830 robotic-assisted procedures in gynecologic oncology, general/colorectal surgery, thoracic surgery, benign gynecologic surgery and urology, allowing patients to receive minimally invasive surgery locally, eliminating the need to travel to Toronto. 

Specialized and Timely Care

Innovation also drives our expansion of specialized care. The new Vascular Clinic at Oshawa Hospital provides procedures that previously required travel outside of Durham Region, ensuring timely treatment and strengthening our regional surgical network.  

Expanding access to specialized services is just one part of how we improve surgical care across Durham Region. Lakeridge Health is a provincial leader in surgical wait times, meeting over 90 per cent of targets for cancer surgery and keeping fewer than 10 per cent of cases beyond provincial benchmarks. Simply put, patients can access surgery more quickly – without leaving their community.  

The addition of Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants to the surgical program has further enhanced continuity of care, reduced wait times, and supported surgeons in managing increasingly complex cases. 

Shaping the Future of Care

Our vision for surgical care is clear: to continue leading with innovation, compassion, and excellence. As part of This is Lakeridge Health, we are proud to share the stories of the people, programs, and partnerships transforming health care for our community – today and for generations to come. For more information, visit lh.ca/this-is-lh.