Manitoba

$9.5 million cardiac centre at St. Boniface General Hospital

WINNIPEG – Construction has begun on a $9.5-million state-of-the-art cardiac care centre at St. Boniface General Hospital, Health Minister Tim Sale (pictured at left) has announced. “This project is a major component of the $22.5-million cardiac services enhancement plan developed in 2000 and includes a $6-million contribution from the St. Boniface Hospital and Research Foundation,” said Sale.

“This new centre is key to the consolidation of cardiac care services at St. Boniface General Hospital.”

The centre will include state-of-the-art cardiac catheterization labs, suites for echocardiography, EKG and nuclear medicine, pacemaker clinic, a cardiology in-patient unit and general cardiology clinics.

“Over the last few years, Manitoba Health has made significant investments in cardiac healthcare in the province,” said Sale. “The investments made by the province have improved access to leading-edge treatment and support for heart patients, and provided more support for heart disease prevention programs.”

The government also continues to implement recommendations made by the extensive review of Manitoba’s cardiac program by Dr. Arvind Koshal in 2003. Koshal reported that if many of his recommendations were implemented, Manitoba would have a first-class cardiac program.

Progress on the implementation of Koshal’s recommendations includes:

• a reduction of surgical cancellations;

• the hiring of an additional wait-list co-ordinator to work with patients and to hold weekly meetings with surgeons to improve tracking of patients’ conditions;

• investments in new equipment including a heart lung machine, telemetry and monitors, as well as graft-harvesting equipment to support the consolidation of the cardiac surgery program at St. Boniface General Hospital.