Health Minister Sylvia Jones makes an announcement at Windsor Regional Hospital, January 19, 2023. (Photo  by Maureen Revait) Health Minister Sylvia Jones makes an announcement at Windsor Regional Hospital, January 19, 2023. (Photo by Maureen Revait)
Windsor

$30-million to improve cardiac and cancer care in Windsor-Essex

An investment in Windsor Regional Hospital will benefit cardiac and cancer patients.

The Ontario government is investing $30 million to expand and renovate the cardiac catheterization lab at the Ouellette Campus and add a second catheterization table.

The funding will also expand the Windsor Regional Cancer Centre at the Met Campus. That will make room for a new linear accelerator for radiation therapy.

The funding is already in the Ontario budget.

Health Minister Sylvia Jones and Premier Doug Ford made the official announcement in Windsor on Thursday.

Why not make those investments in the new proposed acute care hospital?

"Because the people of Windsor deserve better service now," she replied. "We can move this equipment when we ultimately build and have the opening of the new Windsor Regional Hospital."

A second cardiac catheterization lab was promised in 2014 but never materialized. Hospital CEO David Musyj indicated the hospital will issue a tender for renovations in March or April of this year and the new lab will be available in 12 - 18 months.

"That's seven years before the new hospital is built. We can do a substantial amount of patients by doubling the capacity now and getting rid of the waitlist," said Musyj.

The second table in the facility will also mean less patients will need to be sent to London or Detroit for treatment.

"In any given year that number is 40 to 70 if not more. And if you ship them to the states, instead of costing Ontario a maximum of $10,000 a patient, it's about $40,000-$70,000 a day in Detroit," said Musyj.

The new radiation room at the Windsor Regional Cancer Centre is expected to be up and running by September of this year. Musyj said this will help to reduce the wait times for access to radiation locally.

Over the past year, the government has made significant investments in the health care system in Windsor-Essex, including a new Ontario Health Team and $1.1-million to integrate services in the region.

-with files from Maureen Revait 

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