NDP promising $20 million to expand cardiac care at CRH
By Al Beeber - Lethbridge Herald on April 13, 2023.
LETHBRIDGE HERALDabeeber@lethbridgeherald.com If the NDP is elected as the next governing party of Alberta, it will invest $20 million to expand cardiac services at Chinook Regional Hospital.That promise was made Wednesday morning by Lethbridge West MLA Shannon Phillips and Lethbridge East candidate Rob Miyashiro shortly after the UCP government announced a $2 million investment in the design for a cardiac catheterization lab at CRH.
The NDP plan calls for money to “support new interventional cardiac services and more diagnostic services enabling cardiac catheterization,” says the party in a release.
“The Chinook Regional Hospital is an amazing community hospital full of talented, dedicated staff,” Miyashiro said at a press conference.
He said in terms of cardiac services, heart disease – according to Alberta Health Services data – is a leading cause of death among southern Albertans. The risk of heart disease is higher here than in northern part of the province, added Miyashiro, citing AHS data.
There is no cardiac MRI available anywhere in the South, he said, noting that on average more than 1,300 patients from this area have to travel to Calgary for cardiac services every year. Those services include angiograms, cardiac MRIs, ablations, angiograms and angioplasties.
He said it means a longer trip to hospital for those suffering from heart attacks, resulting in a higher risk of death. More than 300 extremely ill heart attack patients are transferred by air or ground ambulance every year, Miyashiro added.
“Under Rachel Notley’s leadership the Chinook Regional Hospital will have the best standard of treatment for heart blockages in Canada,” Miyashiro said.
“We will make sure Albertans get the healthcare they need, when they need it. Danielle Smith and the UCP can’t be trusted with your health care but with Rachel, Shannon and I we will bring better health care home to Lethbridge.”
Phillips told media the UCP’s investment “is invisible money. It was not in the budget that was just voted on two months ago… this money is a lie.”
She added the NDP would make sure the funds are there to expand cardiac services at the CRH to ensure a response to chronic heart disease conditions and also deliver emergency care “that so many people need that will save lives.” Follow @albeebHerald on Twitter 4
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