The state government says a recent pilot project to improve access to heart care is making a difference for patients.
Dubbed “Heart Force One,” the project focuses on patients requiring cardiac catheterization procedures that can only be performed in the St. Johns area.
These patients will be flown to St. John’s to complete the procedure and then all return to the medical area on the same day.
The initiative was led by Eastern Health, and patients were evaluated based on their clinical vision and flight ability, according to the government.
To date, 25 patients have benefited from this program.
Prime Minister Andrew Fury has said that if patients could be flown in for procedures like this, there would be a big advantage in waiting times.
He cites Labrador West as an example. He says that if a patient there has a cardiac episode and is determined to need the procedure, the waiting time will be determined by the availability of beds in St. John’s.
Furey said patients may wait a day or weeks for a bed to open. This program solves that problem by allowing patients to go home the same day they receive treatment.
And if the project continues to work well, Fury says there are other outpatient treatments that could work through similar programs. He believes it can open doors for patients to get the care they need.
