Island Health Plans Cardiac Services Expansion Amid Growing Demand

Island Health has announced plans to enhance cardiology services in Victoria, addressing the increasing demand for pacemaker insertions. During a board meeting on December 3, 2023, Vice-President of Acute Clinical Operations and Provincial Programs, Marko Peljhan, confirmed the development of a new room for pacemaker insertion at the Royal Jubilee Hospital. This facility is expected to operate as a device room, although it will not function as a full cath lab.

Peljhan responded to inquiries about the “cath lab procedure room” mentioned in a draft report by KPMG. While the report has not been publicly released, he indicated that it includes “expansion considerations for Victoria,” particularly the establishment of the pacemaker insertion room. “We’re aware of that and we’re working through an approach to be able to fund that, but it actually is not formally approved,” Peljhan stated. He emphasized that this initiative is still in the conceptual phase.

Island Health aims to use this new room to help alleviate the growing wait list for pacemaker insertions. “The room at the diagnostic and treatment centre at the Jubilee when it opened in 2001, was actually a functioning device room and it is intended to return to that,” Peljhan added. This approach will not incur construction costs and will not hinder plans to expand cardiac services in other areas of the Island.

In a follow-up communication, Island Health clarified that while the room could theoretically serve as a cath lab, that is not its intended purpose. The health authority acknowledged that there is an urgent need for growth in cardiology services, including electrophysiology and catheterization procedures. “The report also notes services that need to expand immediately to reduce waitlists,” Island Health stated.

Financial considerations play a significant role in the expansion of such services. Typically, capital projects like a cardiac cath lab are funded on a 40-60 basis, with the hospital district contributing 40 percent and the province covering the remainder.

The need for a cardiac catheterization lab at the Nanaimo Regional General Hospital has become increasingly critical, according to the Fair Care Alliance, a coalition of doctors, healthcare advocates, and politicians advocating for equitable healthcare across northern and mid-Island regions. The Nanaimo Regional Hospital District has proposed funding a business plan for the cardiac cath lab as part of its cost-sharing commitment to expedite the process.

During the recent meeting, Peljhan acknowledged the substantial community support for establishing a cardiac cath lab in Nanaimo. “There’s a lot of community support for it, and how we get there is going to be key,” he stated. He added that ongoing discussions with health authorities, physician leadership, and community stakeholders are part of a broader master site campus plan. This plan aims to include various upgrades to the Nanaimo campus, including enhancements to cardiology services.

With these developments, Island Health is prioritizing the expansion of cardiology services to meet the needs of patients across Vancouver Island, reinforcing the commitment to provide timely and effective healthcare.