Cardiac Care - Closer to Home

February is traditionally “Heart Month” when you hear more about the need for funds for various organizations investing in care of the heart (cardiac) patients. Unfortunately, cardiac events are not limited to February – they can and do happen at any time of the year!

Bow Island & District Health Foundation has supported the care of cardiac patients in our area over the years through:

    * funding the purchase of patient care equipment for Bow Island Health Centre (cardiac monitoring system with upgrades as required, defibrillators, ECG machines and other resuscitation equipment)

    * supporting staff education by funding local courses in Basic and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (CPR & ACLS)  

    * funding the purchase of the equipment required to conduct those courses (arrhythmia simulator, mannikins, etc.)

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While this equipment and training is essential for cardiac care locally, frequently the role of Bow Island Health Centre and other South Zone facilities is to “stabilize and transport” to the nearest facility providing the testing and advanced treatments required.  For approximately1300 patients/year in South Zone, that means an ambulance trip to Calgary! The cutting-edge treatments required are simply not available at our regional referral centres in Medicine Hat and Lethbridge!

Statistics for Southern Alberta show that:

      * Heart disease is the leading cause of death in southern Alberta

      * Death from all cardiac issues is 26.6% higher in southern Alberta than the rest of Alberta

      * Southern Albertans have a 15.5% higher risk factor for having a heart attack than other Albertans

In an effort to address these shocking statistics, a collaboration between the Chinook Regional Hospital Foundation (CRHF), the Cardiac Services Advisory Cabinet, and AHS South Zone Leadership has been formed. This goal of this group is to partner with the Government of Alberta to fund the equipment and programs required to bring the much-needed, cutting-edge cardiac treatments closer to home in Southern Alberta.  These upgrades would include:

      * Upgraded facilities at Chinook Regional Hospital and Medicine Hat Regional Hospital.

       * A new Cardiac Catheterization Lab, Electrophysiology Lab, and Echocardiography Labs.

       * Advanced diagnostic tools like cardiac MRI and CT scanners.

       * Expanded critical care with more Cardiac/ICU beds.

The very ambitious goal is to raise $30 million (approximately 12% of the total cost with the remainder covered by the Government of Alberta) in 30 months.  The Foundations supporting our two regional referral centres are raising funds to enhance the level of cardiac care available to Southern Alberta residents. While donated funds to these organizations do not stay directly in the area served by Bow Island Health Centre, they will definitely support more timely, advanced care of cardiac patients from our service area!  If you are interested in learning more about this initiative and the fundraising efforts supporting cardiac care in Southern Alberta:

    * “Bringing Hearts Home” information booklets are available at the Bow Island & District Health Foundation Office

     * Visit the Chinook Regional Hospital Health Foundation website and read about their project “Bringing Hearts Home”

      * Visit the Medicine Hat Health Foundation website and read about their project “Seconds Save Lives”

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