Health and Community Services
June 4, 2014
Access to Health Services Benefits Families and Communities
Echocardiogram Services to Extend to Labrador and on the Northern Peninsula
Residents in Labrador and on the Northern Peninsula will now have regular access to echocardiogram services which will reduce the amount of travel outside the region for this diagnostic test.
“Our work to see regional echocardiogram services on the Northern Peninsula and in Labrador has resulted in a model that will ensure these diagnostic tests are available to residents of this region. We are constantly looking for ways to find efficiencies while increasing access to services for everyone in our province. To do this, we have to examine different models and practices to ensure that we are maximizing our resources and using health professionals to their full scope of practice. We are very pleased to be able to offer this service in the region and reduce travel for clients needing this test.”
- The Honourable Paul Davis, Minister of Health and Community Services
Echocardiograms are widely used diagnostic tests for cardiology services used to diagnose and manage patients with heart disease. A full-time Regional Echocardiography Technologist will be based in St. Anthony and travel on a regular basis to Labrador City and Happy Valley-Goose Bay to provide echocardiogram services to clients in the Labrador-Grenfell Health region. The service will be fully implemented this fall.
“Labrador-Grenfell Health would like to thank the Provincial Government for providing funding to enhance diagnostic services and establish a regional echocardiogram service in our region. We will immediately advertise the position of Regional Echocardiography Technologist to be based in St. Anthony and plan to be in a position to offer this service by the fall.” - Tony Wakeham, CEO, Labrador-Grenfell Health
The Provincial Government has made significant investments in diagnostic equipment to serve the people of Labrador and the Northern Peninsula including the addition of digital mammography machines, a digital fluoroscopy unit, CT scanners, ultrasound machines, and a mobile x-ray unit.
QUICK FACTS
- A new echocardiogram service is being implemented to provide diagnostic services for residents in Labrador and on the Northern Peninsula.
- The service will be provided in St. Anthony, Labrador City and Happy Valley-Goose Bay and it will reduce the amount of travel outside the region to receive this service.
- A full-time Regional Echocardiography Technologist will be based in St. Anthony and travel on a regular basis to Labrador City and Happy Valley-Goose Bay to provide services.
- The Provincial Government has made numerous investments in diagnostic equipment for residents served by Labrador-Grenfell Health including digital mammography machines, a digital fluoroscopy unit, CT scanners, ultrasound machines, and a mobile x-ray unit.
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Media contacts:
| Heather MacLean Director of Communications Department of Health and Community Services 709-729-1377, 697-4137 heathermaclean@gov.nl.ca | Allan Bock Regional Director of Communications Labrador-Grenfell Health 709-897-2351, 899-1568 allan.bock@lghealth.ca |
2014 06 04 12:20 p.m.