Patients who need surgery, vital signs monitoring and cancer care will soon benefit from new medical equipment.
The province announced today, Dec. 10, it will contribute $2.9 million toward new scanning and monitoring equipment serving patients in Halifax, Cape Breton, and the Annapolis Valley.
“When Nova Scotians are sick, they want to know that their health-care team is using cutting-edge medical technology to help diagnose and treat them,” said Health and Wellness Minister Leo Glavine. “By investing in equipment, we’re helping to ensure that patients have access to reliable, accurate tests. This can make them feel safer and more confident about the care they receive.”
The province will pay 75 per cent of the cost of the projects. The district health authorities receiving the equipment will pay the remaining 25 per cent.
“We welcome this investment in equipment, which is an important contribution to the delivery of safe and quality care for patients,” said Janet Knox, president and CEO, Annapolis Valley Health.
The province has budgeted $18 million for this fiscal year to help buy medical equipment that helps patient care.
Projects being funded are:
— Cystoscopy table for health-care teams to capture images during bladder scans and other procedures at the Halifax Infirmary site of the Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre, (total cost $1.1 million; provincial contribution nearly $830,000)
— Anaesthetic machines and monitors in the Annapolis Valley (total cost $880,000; provincial contribution more than $660,000)
— Vital signs monitoring equipment for Dartmouth General Hospital’s intensive-care unit (total cost $870,000; provincial contribution $655,000)
— Echocardiology units in the Annapolis Valley (total cost $490,000; provincial contribution $370,000)
— Heating and cooling units at the Halifax Infirmary site of the Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre (total cost $317,000; provincial contribution nearly $240,000)
— New quality-assurance equipment for the Cancer Centre in Cape Breton, which ensures the right dosages of radiation for patients (total cost $200,000; provincial contribution more than $150,000)
The equipment will be in place by the end of March.
Source: Release