Dr. Hesam Keshmiri is the lone cardiologist at NRGH. He and several other health advocates are pushing for enhanced cardio services based in Nanaimo. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Ian Holmes

heart health

‘Desperately needed and long overdue:’ Nanaimo health advocates push for improved cardiac care

Aug 9, 2023 | 5:25 AM

NANAIMO — Amplified by an ever-growing and aging population, local healthcare advocates called for enhanced cardiac services for the mid and north Island residents.

A Tuesday, Aug. 8 news conference staged at a Nanaimo medical clinic heard health professionals and local politicians demand an immediate funding pledge for a cardiac catherization lab at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital.

Emphasizing such a service for more than 450,000 people north of the Malahat is “desperately needed and long overdue”, Dr. Dave Coupland, president of the NRGH medical staff association, said a lack of cardio care regionally is leading to undue harm.

“Higher mobility, mortality, poorer quality of life, an increased cost to patients and the system. The result is inadvertently two standards of care on the Island, with central/north Island below standard.”

Dr. Coupland said people are dying, or left with poor health outcomes on the mid and north Island due to a lack of advanced cardiac services outside Victoria.

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He said faster diagnoses and proper treatment are paramount, pointing to a greater burden of all types of cardiac diseases in a faster growing area north of Mill Bay compared to the capital region.

“Yet we have one cardiologist and a second coming at NRGH, few cardiac services and no cardiac cath lab. Versus the south Island which was 21 to 22, two cardiac cath labs, all cardiac services and cardiac surgery.”

Dr. Coupland said a conceptual plan for cardiac catherization services drafted with Island Health was submitted to the provincial ministry of health last year, but not much of a response has been made.

He said a review of coronary services at NRGH in 2016 and 2010 both led formal funding requests to the province for enhanced cardiology care.

Coupland credited the province for stepping up in recent years with significant acute care enhancements at NRGH, including a new Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and pending opening of a new High Acuity Unit, to complement the improved ICU.

Dr. Hesam Keshmiri is the lead cardiologist at NRGH, in fact he’s the only cardiologist at Nanaimo hospital where he was once part of a four-member team.

Dr. Keshmiri said the central and north Island areas are home to the highest heart attack rates in the province.

“The more time that elapses without the patient having the artery opened up, the higher chance of morbidity, mortality and complications.”

Dr. Keshmiri believes a pledge to fund cardiac catherization lab would attract the required cardiologists in advance who’d be able to grow their skill-sets at NRGH.

“Once we can let the candidates know that ‘Hey, this is coming down the line in the next three to five years and this is approved.’ I think that will be very attractive.”

Dr. Keshmiri stated a second cardiologist has been hired to join NRGH and the interview process is underway to add a third.

He credited the expanded Nanaimo Heart Function Clinic with improving patient care, which came into effect late last year.

The facility assess, treats, monitors and provides education for heart patients.

Nanaimo councillor Ian Thorpe, also serving as chair of the RDN’s Regional Hospital Board, said expanding tertiary care at NRGH is their top priority.

Responsible for 40 per cent of capital funding for new regional health facilities, Thorpe said they are raising money through a hospital taxation levy for several new initiatives, with a catherization lab and new patient tower at NRGH leading the list.

Thorpe said their hospital taxation levy has more than doubled from the 2016 amount of $16 per $100,000 of assessed property value, noting the tax will continue rising.

While politicians don’t usually brag about higher taxes, Thorpe said he’s happy to defend this one.

“I can honestly say that I have not had one resident complain about that assessment when they learn why it is necessary — they understand, they get it,” Thorpe said.

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ian@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes