The first-ever open heart surgery to be performed outside of the Lower Mainland and Victoria was successfully completed at Kelowna General Hospital last week.

Health Minister Margaret MacDiarmid and Westside-Kelowna MLA Ben Stewart were joined by Interior Health board chair Norman Embree, Dr. Guy Fradet, medical director of the Interior Health Cardiac Surgery Program, and Luke Brockholm, the patient who underwent the first surgery, to celebrate the milestone.

"The start of cardiac surgeries is great news for patients such as Luke Brockholm and their families," said MacDiarmid. "Cardiac patients needing surgery are now able to get care closer to home, without having to travel to the Lower Mainland, which is very welcome news."

Dr. Fradet performed the procedure last week on Brockholm, a 54-year-old maintenance and operations supervisor at Penticton Airport. He was just the first of what is expected to be approximately 600 patients a year who will benefit from the opportunity to receive full cardiac care closer to home.

"Having a cardiac surgery program in Interior Health means improved access to services for diagnosing and treating heart disease," said Fradet. "It also decreases the burden of travelling great distances, away from family and other supports, to receive care. This will improve the co-ordination of patient- and family-centred care within the Southern Interior."

"I feel so fortunate to have had the opportunity to have my surgery done at Kelowna General Hospital," said Brockholm. "Being only an hour away from where I live in Penticton, I was able to return home in less than a week, which has been a huge relief for me and my family."

Cardiac surgery was previously only performed at four hospitals in British Columbia: Royal Columbian Hospital, Royal Jubilee Hospital, St. Paul's Hospital and Vancouver General Hospital.

"I have lived in Kelowna for most of my life, and have seen the entire Southern Interior region grow exponentially in that time," said Kelowna-Mission MLA Steve Thomson. "Bringing cardiac surgery to Kelowna will help the 600 patients per year who previously had to travel for their care, and of course their families who travel too."

"Having support networks in place around you while you recover will help patients prepare for and recover from cardiac surgeries," said Norm Letnick, MLA for Kelowna-Lake Country. "With around 600 cardiac surgeries expected per year, we are delivering better care for Interior residents."

"Getting cardiac surgery up and running in the Interior Health is a remarkable achievement of everyone involved at Interior Health," said Ben Stewart, MLA for Westside-Kelowna. "Congratulations to the surgeons, nurses and staff involved in delivering this important program."

In 2009, Kelowna General Hospital also became the first hospital outside of the Lower Mainland and Victoria to perform percutaneous coronary interventions, or angioplasties. Since the program started in November 2009, almost 3,000 procedures have been performed.

"People who require heart surgery will now be provided care right here in the Southern Interior," said Norman Embree, chair of the Interior Health Board. "Cardiac surgery will be more timely and there will be greater access to regional medical and clinical staff for follow-up care."

"Today is a great day for residents of the Central Okanagan," said Robert Hobson, chair of the Central Okanagan Regional Hospital District, which is contributing $70.7 million to the Interior Heart and Surgical Centre Project. "By being able to provide open heart surgery over two years before the Interior Heart and Surgical Centre is scheduled to open, we are well on our way to achieving significant improvements to health care in the region."

The surgeries are taking place in two renovated operating rooms at Kelowna General Hospital while the Interior Heart and Surgical Centre is being constructed. The centre is scheduled to open in mid-2015. Approximately 600 cardiac surgeries per year are expected to be performed at Kelowna General Hospital, ensuring patients do not have to travel as far from their families to receive care.

A backgrounder follows.

Media Contacts:

Ryan Jabs
Media Relations Manager
Ministry of Health
250 952-1887 (media line)

Cam McAlpine
Communications Officer
Interior Health
250 801-1741

BACKGROUNDER

Cardiac surgery at Kelowna General Hospital

• The Cardiac Surgery Program, designed as a health authority-wide program, is intended to support the educational, diagnostic and treatment programs necessary to meet the challenge of delivering cardiac care to the Interior region of British Columbia.
• More than 150 surgeries are planned from December 2012 to March 2013. After that, approximately 600 surgeries are anticipated to be performed each year.
• The Cardiac Surgery Program will involve over 85 medical and clinical staff, including surgeons, cardiac anaesthetists, perfusionists, clinical nursing staff, anaesthesia assistants and support staff.
• In addition to Dr. Guy Fradet, the program includes two other surgeons.
• Dr. Ahmad Poostizadeh is an experienced cardiothoracic surgeon with expertise in aortic and aortic root pathologies. He most recently practised at St. Paul's Hospital and Vancouver General Hospital.
• Dr. Calvin Wan trained at the Mayo Clinic, McGill University and the University of Alberta before taking a position as a cardiac surgeon at Vancouver General Hospital.
• The Interior Heart and Surgical Centre building is part of the overall Interior Heart and Surgical Centre Project. The project also includes the Dr. Walter Anderson building, renovations to the existing Royal and Strathcona buildings and fit-outs in the new Centennial building.
• The total cost of the Interior Heart and Surgical Centre project is $367 million, with $70.7 million from the Central Okanagan Regional Hospital District. The cost of the Interior Heart and Surgical Centre surgical building component is $169.1 million.

For more information on the Interior Heart Surgical Centre project, visit: www.buildingpatientcare.ca

Media Contacts:

Ryan Jabs
Media Relations Manager
Ministry of Health
250 952-1887 (media line)

Cam McAlpine
Communications Officer
Interior Health
250 801-1741