“May 22, 1988 ° News 985-2131

Classified 986-6222

$343,000 facility will dcr

PROVINCIAL FUNDING approval for 4 major new Lions

Gate. cardiac: diagnostic laboratory will dramatically. im-
‘prove the North Shore hospitai’s heart treatment technology

pyre $a big thing ‘for the hospital ~
and. the community,” Dr. Ken:

Woo. said’ Thursday. “M's: really -

* cexcitinig. We've been trying to gel
“this thing for the past five years.”’

Funding for the $343,000 cardi. °
nag’ catheterization: laboratory was”
# announced - Thursday” by North ©
 Vancouve ‘Capilano | MLA. Angus
Ree. ,
Woo’ said the facitity, will ‘allow
“Lions, Gate to perform, and process
in- -house ‘patient cardiac™
“angiograms rather than: having to.

arrange costly ‘and, ‘téngthy’ patient

transfers to: Vancouver General ‘or;.. comprehensive ‘,, medical:

St: Paul’s jhespiials,

Pa a
in

diagnosing” h “problems for
‘North’ Shore, heart: attack victims :

‘both: added: to: overall. LGH . costs -

by ying up. beds with those waiting
and,’ more impor-

err S ee

“3 and capabilities, according to LGH's head cardiologist.

‘diagnoses from downtown’ hospi-
‘tals ‘could be up to two. months,
* depending on urgency.

Under cardiac catheterization,’ a
- diagnostic -probe is threaded
through. a | major artery, to the.
heart. Dyes. are. then injected: as”
part ofthe angiogram, (literally,.a

blood- Jessel picture) to identify the *

location of blockages in the artery.
Woo - said ‘the tab’s equipment ;
will be **state Of the art. It will'give —
the hospital the full range of car-
diological diagnostic services,"*
Capital cost of the facility will
$343,000, of: which’ $220,000 :
me from the provincial gov-

_etriment. The balance will come _
- from the hospital andthe Greater. .”

s Vancouver Regional District.
The :LGH, Women’s Auxiliary

also” raised "$80,000 towards” the

/Estimated annual” operating
costs forthe lab total $290,000,
which will be added to. LGH’s cur-

" rent. $67 million .budget: by the

iy

provincial government. a
: Smith ‘said approval of the lab
“funds | “is the. culmination’ of a
‘couple of, hard: years work by. the’
‘staff here. It will raise the level of:
service | %
’ provided on the Nosth Shore.’ 7
Two" nurses and’ one new X-ray:
technician will be hired to. work in
the new lab, which Woo estimated ©
“would be in full operation by’ the
“Tall. °
_ Though open. heart surgery ‘and

SEE PHOTO PAGE 3

© tantly

tient Myell-being.

Gate heart paticnts ‘‘would have to *
jeWe...would, nots -

wait = in}. horror.
know ; -what

_ other hospitals.

estimated the.’ wait fore

elective? angioplasty will ‘continue _

‘ito be: performed at VGH and.St. -

Paul’s,' the new. Lions Gate lab’ will -
enable the hospital. to: ‘provide all.”
other cardiac services. ;
ae “*IU’s ‘a’ major. step forward for
the -hospital,”? Woo. said. “It br-

oes ‘ings Lions Gate.up ‘lo par with the
GH ~*’ president ‘ Robert ‘Smith ve
_ Pitals.””

other. major Lower Mainland hos-

Distribution 986-1337 56 pages

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5 REAR

Ripe

Be

ease

. patient transfers