Fewer Ballarat heart attack victims are being sent to other hospitals for treatment after the opening of a new cardiac catheterisation laboratory at Ballarat Base Hospital.
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The $10 million facility, which opened about three months ago, has resulted in more patients being able to be treated on weekends and after hours.
Ballarat Health Services cardiology director Professor Ernesto Oqueli showed Premier Daniel Andrews, federal shadow minister for health and Medicare Catherine King and others through the new “cath lab” yesterday.
The cath lab is used for lifesaving heart procedures such as stenting, angiography, inserting pacemakers and implantable defibrillators.
“We are seeing more patients, expanding our weekends for emergencies and seeing an increased number of patients coming to hospital and not going somewhere else,” Prof Oqueli said.
“We have the facility now so instead of being bypassed and sent somewhere else we can see patients in a more rapid fashion during the weekend – we we see them here and fix them here.”
Mr Andrews said quick treatment was vital for cardiac events.
“When it comes to heart attack and cardiac events, nothing beats a quick response – the care you need as fast as possible. That’s how you not only save lives but the impact of a cardiac event on quality of life is much reduced if it can get the care you need quickly.”
After touring the cath lab, which will treat 50 patients a week, Mr Andrews warned the Federal Government’s proposed health funding deal which he said would slash funding to Victorian Hospitals.
Under the proposed new funding deal, which Mr Andrews refused to sign at last week’s Council of Australian Governments meeting, he said Ballarat Health Services would receive $53.5 million less in funding over five years.
Mr Andrews said that black hole would be the equivalent of 8613 fewer surgeries, 428 fewer nurses or 179 fewer doctors at Ballarat Health Services.
“I will not sign up for something that short changes Victorian patients and devalues the work our nurses and doctors ... do every single day,” he said.
