Cardiac Catheterization Lab, More Procedures Will Reduce Waits

HEALTH--Cardiac Catheterization Lab, More Procedures Will Reduce Waits

Wait times will be reduced for cardiology and cardiac surgery patients as a fourth cardiac catheterization (cath) lab goes into full operation on Sept. 29 at the QEII Health Sciences Centre in Halifax.

The cath lab is the result of an additional $5 million in funding announced by the government of Nova Scotia in March 2003. The funding was given to Capital Health's cardiology program to address growing wait times.

In addition to the new $2-million cath lab, the funding permitted the hiring of additional staff in targeted areas, and enabled more operating room-staff time and materials to be dedicated to cardiac procedures. On Sept. 8, Capital Health increased the number of cardiac patient surgeries from 25 to 35 each week.

"Nova Scotians depend on a strong health-care system that is there when they need it," said Premier John Hamm. "Investing in this program will ensure Nova Scotians have improved access to cardiac care -- a key part of Your Health Matters, Nova Scotia's plan for better care."

In 2002 wait times for cardiac surgery patients in two categories rose above the accepted standard.

"We know that earlier intervention reduces the risks for heart patients and can save lives," said Dr. Blair O'Neill, head of Capital Health's Division of Cardiology at the QEII Health Sciences Centre. "This new cath lab will allow us to treat more patients, to help more of the most acute patients, and to perform more of the complex procedures than we currently do."

Dr. O'Neill said that the new cath lab and extra surgeries would help the division keep up with growing patient demand. "We expect the wait times, particularly for patients waiting for an outpatient catheterization or angioplasty, to get back within the accepted standard very soon now that we have a fourth cath lab."

In March, the wait time for semi-urgent outpatient catheterization patients was 56 days, compared to the standard wait time of 14-28 days. The wait time for elective patients was 89 days compared to the standard of 42 days. Some progress has been made reducing these wait times. As of 2003, wait times were shortened by three days and eight days respectively. Since March, the number of patients waiting for surgery has also declined. In , there were 150 patients waiting for open-heart surgery, and as of mid-September, there were 91 patients waiting.

Staff have been working extended hours in an attempt to keep up with the demand. The new cath lab will help create a sustainable solution to increasing demand for earlier cardiac catheterization and angioplasty. New techniques to repair congenital and acquired heart problems can be performed in this state-of-the-art facility -- one of the first of its kind in North America.

A cardiac catheterization lab is a highly sophisticated machine that can be used for both diagnosing heart problems and repairing them. It takes specially trained cardiologists and radiologists to operate cath lab equipment. The QEII Health Sciences Centre is currently the only facility in Nova Scotia with the equipment and specially trained personnel to operate a cardiac catheterization laboratory. The QEII performs more than 5,600 cardiac procedures every year, about 3,500 are catheterization procedures.

The $5 million in funding was part of government's Your Health Matters Plan, released in March.