NLIS 7
July 18, 2000
(Health and Community Services)

Government is spending $6 million to address cardiac care needs in province

Roger Grimes, Minister of Health and Community Services, responded today to media reports which contain inaccurate information concerning government�s commitment to cardiac care in this province. The minister detailed government�s $6 million commitment to cardiac care announced in the March 2000 Budget.

Minister Grimes said: "Government approved an annualized investment of $2.8 million in operating funds for the cardiac program to meet current and future demands. In addition, $1.2 million is provided to renovate and purchase new equipment to enhance the provincial cardiac program. By the fall of 2000, the province will move from 12 surgeries per week to 15 per week. In the interim, government has approved approximately $2 million to improve the cardiac surgery wait list. This funding will give 60 patients the opportunity to receive their cardiac surgery out of province." In addition, the province has agreed to enhance the cardiac catheterization laboratory at the Health Sciences Centre in St. John�s by agreeing to cost-share with the Health Care Corporation of St. John�s a second cardiac catheterization lab.

Through the Health Care Corporation of St. John�s which oversees the cardiac care program for the province, out-of-province cardiac surgeries have been arranged at both Halifax and Kingston health facilities to help reduce the wait list in this province. While the wait list stands at about 350 patients, 18 surgeries have been performed in Halifax and Kingston, and almost another 40 patients have been offered the opportunity to have their surgery completed outside the province. The Health Care Corporation of St. John�s advises that a total of 60 patients should receive their surgery outside the province before Christmas of this year.

"It is important to note that the physicians who coordinate the cardiac care program for the province work within a priority based system. In other words, the sickest patients receive care first whether that entails receiving their care within the province or through referral to a facility elsewhere," said the minister. "It is important that physicians around the province liaise with the Health Care Corporation of St. John�s (HCCSJ) as to the status of their individual patients to ensure they are appropriately placed on the list. It is also important to advise the HCCSJ of any change in the status of the patient�s health."

The minister said that while there have been challenges providing comprehensive cardiac care in the province, government has made a significant investment in Budget 2000 to improving the program overall.

Media contact: Carl Cooper (709) 729-1377

2000 07 18                             1:05 p.m.