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For Robert Bechard, self-isolation began four months ago.

The 77-year-old Craven, Sask. man has been riddled with pain that makes it difficult to stand or walk. Doctors have found that his prostate is seriously swollen. A cancer survivor, Bechard fears the worst.

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He will have to wait a little longer for relief. His prostate biopsy will take at least five weeks to even be scheduled, a delay he says is due to COVID-19.

On March 23, the Saskatchewan Health Authority suspended elective and diagnostic procedures to free up staff and beds for COVID-19 patients. Those include surgeries and routine non-urgent medical imaging tests like MRIs.

Bechard, who recently waited months for an MRI, is frustrated his treatment can’t move to the next step.

“What I don’t understand is that our numbers are going down,” Bechard said, referring to the number of reported COVID-19 cases by the province. “How many hospital beds are there in Saskatchewan?”

As it happens, more than there used to be. Before the pandemic, there were reports of overcrowding at some major Saskatchewan hospitals. But as of April 5, the SHA reported 43 per cent of its acute care beds were available for use in case of a potential surge in COVID-19 cases.

Dr. Jon Witt, the physician pandemic lead for Saskatoon, acknowledged there’s a need to balance continuation of care for existing patients and the reality that the province will see many more hospitalizations and deaths in the months to come.

He compared it the Humboldt Broncos bus crash nearly two years ago, when hospitals across the province worked in tandem.

He said family physicians could offer many procedures via video conference, but noted many will have to wait for better days.

“If something can wait until we’re through this pandemic, then it should wait,” Witt said. “But if it can’t, the surgeons and other specialists are bringing that forward.”

Saskatoon oncologist Dr. Sunil Yadav said he and peers have quickly pivoted to using video conferencing services to care for cancer patients. He said in-person tests like MRIs can still be booked, but noted he has to weigh the risks carefully. He can’t allow a patient’s cancer to worsen, but he also can’t justify booking a test someone doesn’t need, since it could put them at risk of exposure to COVID-19.