NEW HOPE AND HEART CARE

Cardiac service coming for St Vincent’s Private Hospital

St Vincent’s Private Hospital Toowoomba and Brisbane-based cardiology practice Heartcare Partners, part of the Genesiscare network, have finalised a joint venture agreement that will deliver a comprehensive interventional cardiology service to Toowoomba and the Darling Downs.

Hospital chief executive officer Kathryn Mckeefry said the new cardiology service, which will be phased in from early 2018, is an exciting addition to the hospital’s services.

“Heartcare Partners is one of Queensland’s largest private providers of cardiac care,” Ms Mckeefry said.

“They provide a comprehensive service that includes a large range of interventional procedures performed by renowned clinicians,” she said.

“The St Vincent’s service will commence with diagnostic angiography and will build up to include interventional services supported by on-site interventional cardiologists based in Toowoomba at St Vincent’s.”

The hospital already has the region’s only private 24-hour emergency centre to accept cardiac emergencies at any time of the day.

In the past, these patients have had to be transferred to another facility for invasive assessment and treatment.

“With the introduction of our new service, we will be able to admit these patients for full cardiac investigation thus saving vital time in arriving at a diagnosis and commencing the appropriate treatment,” Ms Mckeefry said.

Heartcare Partners cardiologist and Clinical Management Committee Chair Dr David Cross said, once in full swing, the comprehensive on-site services will provide patients in the region with greater access to highly specialised interventional cardiologists.

“Timing is critical in heart care, so we are very pleased to be bringing a new on-site diagnostic angiography service to benefit patients at St Vincent’s Private Hospital Toowoomba,” Dr Cross said.

“In the future, my highly specialised interventional colleagues will also perform intricate procedures such as the insertion of pacemakers and stents,” he said.

“It is terrific to be working with St Vincent’s to extend our high quality care in Toowoomba and the Darling Downs, and we look forward to a long partnership.”

Essential to the delivery of the invasive service is the installation of a

hybrid theatre, which has been built as part of the $30-million Clive Berghofer Theatre Suites, and a soon to be created 16-bed cardiac ward.

Ms Mckeefry said the hybrid theatre will be equipped with a state-of-the-art Philips Azurion 7 C20 Flexmove Hybrid lab, the first of its kind in Australia and New Zealand.

“The installation features a unique Integrated Cath Lab Workflow and Clarityiq Technology that has been developed, over a number of years, in close collaboration with clinical partners,” Ms Mckeefry said.

“The system provides an enhanced user experience for the cardiologist by delivering a seamless flow of information through the lab, from the Heamodynamics to Interventional Lab and finally image reviewing, reporting and archiving,” she said.

“This level of system integration leads to faster more accurate patient outcomes.

“The new system also has benefits for patients and staff.”

Ms Mckeefry said the Clarityiq produces exceptional image quality with radiation dose levels far below the industry standard.