Equipment spotlight on… Cardiac Electrophysiology (EP)

Imagine suffering a cardiac crisis and being rushed to a hospital far from your family and friends. Right now, patients at PRHC who are dealing with heart rhythm issues (arrhythmia) must travel to Kingston or Toronto for treatment. But with your support, Peterborough Regional Health Centre will change that with a new Cardiac Electrophysiology (EP) Lab where experts will be able to address electrical conditions of the heart.

Supported by the Foundation’s $60 million Campaign for PRHC, our hospital is committed to expanding its cardiac services by building a state-of-the-art Cardiac EP Lab. Having this lifesaving equipment and technology will mean patients can get vital tests and procedures in our region, saving them stress, time, and the financial burden of travelling long-distances for care. By investing in the EP Lab, you’ll also be helping PRHC attract new, top medical experts who can diagnose and treat complex electrical conditions of the heart.

Thanks to donor support, PRHC recently renovated its two Cardiac Cath Lab suites, where expert teams fix cardiac blockages, restore blood flow, and even stop heart attacks while they’re happening. Now, we need your help to take PRHC’s world-class cardiac care a step further with electrophysiology. Your gift today will help make sure everyone’s heart stays in good hands – right here at home.

You can make a donation online, or for more information, please call 705-876-5000.

Our hearts are on the line – let’s bring new cardiac services to PRHC

“You never expect it to happen to you until it does,” says Nick Beamish.

It was Christmas time in 2018, when Nick started feeling ‘off’. An athletic guy, who coached high school sports, Nick was used to pushing his limits, so when he began experiencing extreme exhaustion, he chalked it up to stress. But as the days went on, it became harder to ignore.

With a nudge from his wife, Nick went to the emergency department at Peterborough Regional Health Centre. There, doctors hooked him up to an electrocardiogram (ECG) to test his heart. Within minutes, alarm bells started going off. “Doctors were rushing over with carts, with paddles to shock me,” he says.

Doctors discovered he had a life-threatening issue with his heart rhythm. PRHC didn’t have a Cardiac Electrophysiology – or EP – Lab to provide the necessary treatment, so Nick was rushed to Kingston for care. He spent Christmas in the ICU there, far from home and family. “It was tough and a mental struggle,” says Nick.

Since then, he hasn’t had any issues with his heart. But Nick worries it could happen again – to himself or someone else. That’s why he’s become a donor, volunteer and ambassador for the PRHC Foundation’s $60 million Campaign for PRHC, supporting bringing lifesaving electrophysiology to our region.

With donor support, an advanced Cardiac EP Lab at PRHC will bring new, world-class cardiac treatment and therapies to our region for the first time, eliminating the need for patients to travel far from home for care during an already stressful and urgent time.

“It’s important to be able to get care closer to home. Donors can help make that happen,” says Nick.

For more information or to donate, please call 705-876-5000 or click here.

Cardiac Electrophysiology Lab

The time has come to reinvest in PRHC’s Cardiac Centre for Excellence, unlocking new opportunities and ensuring the people, infrastructure,
systems and programs are in place to empower world-class cardiac care across the spectrum. With the first phase of this reinvestment complete – the renovation and upgrading of PRHC’s two Cardiac Cath Lab suites – PRHC is focused on the introduction of a new service to the region: electrophysiology.

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