Thirty-seven uninsured Coloradans who were approved for free surgery at the Pueblo Surgery Center went under the knife on Saturday, and procedures were “running smoothly” as of early evening, said Jennifer Arellano, center administrator.
One hundred volunteers from the Pueblo Surgery Center, Colorado Technical University, International Surgical Missions and Health4 Haiti all joined together to alleviate patients’ hernias, gall bladder issues, minor knee problems, ear, nose and throat discomfort as well as remove some lumps and bumps.
Saturday’s surgeries cost the center about $370,000, Arellano said.
Approximately 60 people showed up for the center’s initial screening of potential patients three weeks ago.
This is the second year the group has done uninsured patient surgeries. Because both rounds of surgeries fared smoothly, Surgical Care Affiliates, managers of 135 surgery centers across the nation including the Pueblo Surgery Center, is looking to roll out the project nationwide in 2010, Arellano said. Victoria Barbatelli, The Denver Post
