Department of Health Invests in Helping People with Heart Disease

HEALTH--Department of Health Invests in Helping People with Heart Disease

The Department of Health is investing $750,000 this year to continue a project called Improving Cardiovascular Outcomes in Nova Scotia (ICONS). ICONS improves the quality of care for heart patients. Heart disease is the most common cause of death for Nova Scotians.

Forty per cent of Nova Scotians die of cardiovascular problems. Three thousand Nova Scotians will die this year alone as a result of heart disease and stroke.

The Department of Health will work closely with ICONS staff, the QEII Health Sciences Centre, the District Health Authorities, patients and others concerned about heart health to develop ICONS into a provincial cardiovascular program.

The emphasis of the project's first five years was on research and education. ICONS gathered doctors, nurses, pharmacists, researchers and others from across the province to collect the data needed to identify the best way to treat heart disease. That information was then given to health-care workers to guide them in their efforts to improve patient care.

The subsequent data shows an improvement in patient response to treatment and a reduction in people readmitted to hospital. For example, there was an overall 16 per cent reduction in rehospitalization at one year following a heart attack.

"This is a first for the province. Never before have we had such a concentrated focus provincewide on preventing, treating and managing cardiovascular disease," said Health Minister Jamie Muir. "It is critical that we continue to build on the ICONS initiative if we are to reduce the number of Nova Scotians impacted by heart disease."

Merck Frosst Canada, a pharmaceutical manufacturer, funded ICONS as a research project since 1998, working in collaboration with the QEII and the Department of Health. This funding concluded on March 31. The Department of Health provided funding for ICONS, beginning April 1, to ensure that the thousands of Nova Scotians who have or are at risk of cardiovascular disease continue to get the best support possible.

"We are working to ensure that clinicians have the most up-to- date information they need to improve the treatment and diagnosis of heart disease," said Dr. David Johnstone, ICONS project officer. "The ultimate goal is to prevent people from heart disease. At the same time, we want to ensure that they have access to the best care possible regardless of where they live in the province. Funding from the Department of Health will make that possible."

Messages reiterating the importance of living a healthy lifestyle were front and centre in the funding announcement made today, June 21, in Truro.

"We must all work together to help people to stay well," said Mr. Muir. "Eating properly, not smoking and keeping active daily are all important messages we must convey if we are to reduce heart disease in this province."

The Department of Health and ICONS expect the transition this year to be smooth and look forward to making use of this time to explore ways to increase both the efficiency and scope of the program. For example, there are exciting opportunities to make use of provincial health information projects to improve data gathering and information transfer.

As well, there is potential to work with other health groups involved with risk factor management and chronic disease prevention, and to link much more closely with the District Health Authorities as they continue to strive to improve the care provided in their communities.

The next step in this process will be a meeting with ICONS regional leaders, Department of Health representatives and district health authority leaders in June to discuss the next phase of the transitional year.