Hospital Foundation president needed the heart equipment campaign seeks to purchase
Administrator | Jan 20, 2014 | Comments 0
In the midst of fundraising for new cardiac monitoring equipment for Picton Hospital, Leo Finnegan, foundation president, found himself as a patient using the device, being diagnosed with artrial fibrillation (an irregular heartbeat).
The campaign to bring up-to-date telemetry units to Picton hospital is just over half way to its goal.
An update to the telemetry unit is urgently needed, said Finnegan. Last updated in 1999, replacement parts are now obsolete.
Telemetry, which is the constant monitoring of your heart rhythm, benefits a variety of patients at PECMH.
“Having up-to-date cardiac monitoring equipment allows the physicians of PECMH to manage patients we would otherwise need to transfer to another hospital directly from the emergency department,” explains Don Koval, division head for medicine at Picton. “With this equipment, we can safely monitor their cardiac condition, send them on to Kingston within the next day or two for further assessment, and often return them to PECMH or directly to home. The majority of their stay is therefore with familiar caregivers and closer to home,” he adds.
There are three designated inpatient beds where patients can be attached to a stationary cardiac monitor as well as four portable units. At any given time there are usually two to four patients being monitored and sometimes all seven monitors are in use.
Telemetry monitoring is used to read heart rhythm and rate and relays this information to the medical staff. The equipment benefit those living with heart disease and also monitors patients admitted with heart attacks, angina, congestive heart failure, drug overdoses, arrhythmias and those before and after heart surgery.
As a member of the Board of Directors of the Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital Foundation, I also knows first-hand that our County healthcare professionals need our support in the way of medical equipment and up-to-date facilities to allow them to do their jobs in the best way possible,” Finnegan adds. “Together, we make our hospital the best small rural hospital in Ontario.”
Fundraising for this equipment began in mid-November with the launch of the Foundation’s annual Christmas appeal. It will cost $237,282.39 to bring the new equipment to PECMH.
The Hospital’s Auxiliary contributed $36,000 to the campaign following a successful Festival of Trees event at Isaiah Tubbs resort in West Lake.
“We appreciate the hard work of our volunteer members and the generosity of members of the community who continue to support our cause,” said the auxiliary’s Fran Donaldson.
“Historically, the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care does not pay for capital equipment. This is traditionally delegated to the Foundations and Auxiliaries to acquire through fundraising efforts,” said Finnegan. “The Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital Foundation is very proud of our hospital and its staff. We have always known the health care team at PECMH provides the highest standards of patient care. The work the Foundation does to raise funds for the medical equipment, such as telemetry to support patient care at our hospital is worth every dollar that is donated. We thank the people of Prince Edward County for their donations and ask that you give generously in 2014 to help us keep superior patient care in the County.”
As an added incentive to this year’s campaign, Huff Estates Winery donated a one night stay at the Inn with complimentary breakfast and a wine tour and tasting – valued at $250 for the Foundation to raffle off to a donor giving $100 or more to the appeal. With more than 200 donors qualifying for the draw, Sandra and George Emlaw’s ticket was drawn as the winner.
“We feel blessed and privileged to live a community with such a wonderful hospital – the best hospital in Ontario which everybody, at least the local people, already knew,” said George. “We will continue to support the hospital. It is great for our generation and our children and our grandchildren are also residents of Prince Edward so we want it to be there for them, too.”
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