It’s been 10 years since the cardiac care unit opened at St. Mary’s General Hospital in Kitchener, but that doesn’t mean doctors and nurses are using 10-year-old equipment.
That’s a lesson Cambridge resident Kathleen Boone learned firsthand this week, when she visited St. Mary’s to learn what was causing her to experience discomfort.
“I get pain after I walk around a bit, or go up and down stairs, or after I’m eating,” she said before being seen by a doctor.
At St. Mary’s, a cardiac team led by Dr. Brian McNamara examined Boone’s heart, finding a blocked artery.
McNamara says equipment like a new diagnostic camera help medical personnel to in turn help their patients.
“Imaging is everything in this field and the higher the resolution, the higher the quality of the image, (the) better decisions we can make for the patient,” he says.
With the diagnosis complete, the hospital’s cardiac team moved to install a stent to help eliminate the blockage.
“Everything feels good, and I feel great now,” Boone said after the procedure.
After Boone left, cardiologists were scheduled to see another 14 patients before their day was complete.
McNamara says the goal is always to see as many patients as possible, as soon as possible.
“Time is muscle, and the longer that a patient has to wait for advanced cardiovascular care, the high the risk that they could do damage to heart muscle,” he says.
Looking ahead, St. Mary’s officials say the hospital plans to continue staying abreast of the latest technologies and treatment options.
Another $1.5-million camera for the cardiac catheterization lab is planned, as well as ablation procedures which will control heart rhythms.
CTV’s David Imrie is looking at cardiac care in Waterloo Region in a special series airing this week on CTV News.
