Updates about Northern Health’s Chronic Diseases network were shared during it’s public board meeting on June 16.
The program was started to support the healthcare system so people living with chronic diseases can access care closer to home.
“For our heart rhythm device program, we introduced new interventional services for Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator (ICD) and Cardiac
Resynchronization Therapy (CRT), which expands regional capacity for arrythmia and heart failure management,” said Jessica McGregor, executive lead for chronic diseases.
She added those services will be offered at the University Hospital of Northern BC in Prince George.
Pacemaker implants could already be done in Northern Health with ICD and CRT implants being more complicated.
“For us to be able to now introduce these new ICD and CRT devices, that means patients will be able to receive that care in the north versus having to travel so that is quite a big impact,” said McGregor.
Other updates made included a new unattached palliative care clinic in Prince George, and statistics about kidney care.
“Northern Health continues to lead provincially with 48.6 per cent of patients on home dialysis versus the 31 per cent target,” McGregor said.
She said work is ongoing to support community respiratory service development and stroke unit care, along with a regional insulin order set for diabetes care.
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