Improving Cardiovascular Services For Patients in Northwestern Ontario
Province Supporting Proposed Cardiovascular Program in Thunder Bay
Ontario is supporting a proposal to improve access to cardiovascular services for patients in northwestern Ontario.
Under the proposal, the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) will expand its advanced cardiovascular services program to deliver on-site vascular surgery. It will also work with the government to develop a plan to deliver cardiac surgery closer to
home for patients in the northwest.
TBRHSC will work in partnership with the University Health Network (UHN), which will take on cardiovascular patients from northwestern Ontario who are currently being served in Hamilton until services are fully implemented at TBRHSC.
Providing the residents of northwestern Ontario with better access to cardiovascular services is part of the government’s plan to build a better Ontario through its Patients First: Action Plan for Health Care, which is providing patients with faster access to the right care, better home and community care, the information they need to live healthy and a health care system that’s sustainable for generations to come.
QUOTES
“This announcement marks an exciting landmark in improving access to cardiovascular surgery for the people of northwestern Ontario. I look forward to continuing to work together with all of our regional health care partners to ensure the highest quality of care closer to
home.”
— Dr. Eric Hoskins, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care
“The establishment of angioplasty services at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre years ago remains one of my proudest moments as an MPP. Today’s announcement, which builds on that work, of our support for vascular surgery services followed by the full
introduction of cardiac surgery, represents the continuing evolution of health care in Thunder Bay and northwestern Ontario. I want to thank everyone for their work and support of this spectacular
announcement.”
— Bill Mauro, MPP, Thunder Bay-Atikokan
“The addition of cardiovascular surgery at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre will be a very significant addition to the health care system here in northwestern Ontario. These new services will also be a great asset in our efforts to attract and retain physicians in the North.”
— Michael Gravelle, MPP, Thunder Bay-Superior North
"This is a huge step forward for TBRHSC. Our partnership with UHN brings world-class cardiovascular care to northwestern Ontario and will have a dramatic effect on the quality of care and quality of life for thousands of cardiovascular patients in our region in the
coming years."
— Dr. Bill McCready, Interim CEO, Thunder Bay Regional Health
Sciences Centre
"The goal of this partnership is to give patients in Thunder Bay local access to heart and blood vessel surgery. No one should have to travel 1,000 km and be separated from their family to undergo standard bypass surgery. The one program on two sites model that we will implement will ensure that the quality of care delivered in Thunder Bay and at the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre at UHN is the same. Quality, safety and local access to care will be the cornerstones of
this partnership."
— Dr. Barry Rubin, Program Medical Director, Peter Munk Cardiac Centre.
QUICK FACTS
Approximately 350 patients a year are referred out of the northwestern region for vascular surgery and vascular related procedures.
Dr. Eric Hoskins, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care
“ We anticipate a significant capital requirement for cardiac surgery and are working with the local health network LIN on this. The University Health Network felt the local families deserve this care at home. This is an incredible Hospital here in Thunder Bay with excellent clinicians.”
“We are working on the plan and timing of this cardiac plan and it will take some time to develop. We have pushed the go button today on the vascular side and it will be rapid. The cardiac will follow shortly as well. I’m a bold kind of person that likes to do things in
a well thought out manner.This is an natural extension of the other quality of services here.
I grew up in a small town and I get it. It is about access and fairness. There is no question for me that providing these services in Thunder Bay will help patient outcomes.”
Bill Mauro MPP, Thunder Bay-Atikokan
“The vascular surgery program has started and our commitment today was to an expansion of that program. The cardiac surgery is going to happen. There is some capital work that needs to be done and that work is already underway.We will be providing services in Thunder Bay
that are currently being provided in other parts the province. You will see a significant saving on the health travel grant program.”
Michael Gravelle, Michael Gravelle, MPP, Thunder Bay-Superior North
“I am excited to have the Ministers commitment. Today is one of those days as a MPP where you are making a difference in better health care for NW Ontario. The commitment for a cardiac surgery program is real. It is rock solid and there is some more work to be done. Angioplasty has been very successful and this is an extension of that. This is great day for us.”