Image Credit: CFJC Today

By Anthony Corea

CARDIAC CARE

ICCHA Wish Fund organizer starts petition to demand better cardiac treatment at Royal Inland Hospital

Sep 19, 2024 | 6:00 PM

KAMLOOPS – The organizer behind the ICCHA Wish Fund held a news conference on Thursday (Sept. 19), raising his concerns with Interior Health and the provincial government about cardiac care at Royal Inland Hospital.

Currently, cardiac patients are transported by ambulance from Kamloops to Kelowna General Hospital. The ICCHA Wish Fund is pushing to get rid of the two-and-a-half-hour journey and keep patients here in Kamloops.

“We’re sending our people to an expensive city. This is their home. Why are we sending them there?” asked ICCHA Wish Fund founder Al Patel. “We’re sending them to Kelowna when it’s winter conditions. Why are we sending them on a dangerous journey for the family, let alone the ambulance itself? This is a nightmare for health care. That’s what I see.”

MLA for Kamloops-North Thompson Peter Milobar also gave his thoughts during the news conference, noting the provincial health budget and cost of the project while echoing the concerns of the ICCHA Wish Fund.

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“The provincial health budget is around $33 billion — with a ‘b’. This (catheterization) unit would be around, between equipment and renovations, somewhere in the $6-to-10 million range, so we’re not talking massive dollars on a provincial scale, let alone within IHA’s own budget,” said Milobar. “It’s time to get on with this. Trying to say that we can wait until 2040 is a ridiculous timeline. The reality is, the medical staff, the medical community, agree that this is something that’s needed in our community and we need to get moving with it.”

In a statement from Interior Health:

“Interior Health appreciates the work of the ICCHA-WISH Fund and their passion to support cardiac care across the region.

Royal Inland Hospital currently provides tertiary level cardiac care and partners with Kelowna General Hospital, which provides access to cardiac interventional procedures for all patients in the Interior.

When considering the expansion of services, Interior Health works in partnership with Cardiac Services BC with the Provincial Health Services Authority. Decisions for the expansion of services are reviewed regularly by regional and provincial experts – and decisions are based on data, population growth and service demands. Currently, all patients requiring care in the Regional Cardiac Cath Lab are meeting recommended wait times, no matter their location within the health authority.

We recognize travel for very specialized services can be challenging for patients and their families, however it is necessary to centralize these services to be able to provide the safest and highest quality of care, as well as to attract and retain the very specialized staff and physicians required to provide this level of care, which includes having the patient volumes to ensure proficiency and maintenance of those skills.

Interior Health remains committed to ongoing communication with the ICCHA-WISH Fund leadership and Cardiac Services BC as we ensure the site is prepared and in a state of readiness for future expansion of Cardiac Interventional Services when the criteria is met for expansion.”

ICCHA Wish Fund has started a petition on the issue which you can find HERE.