The Pasqua Hospital in Regina now has a new Interventional Radiology (IR) suite that opened on Monday, Feb. 14.
The Hospitals of Regina Foundation (HRF) funded $2.2 million to the IR suite to increase capacity for the essential service. This addition is the second IR suite in Regina that is expected to help with wait times.
“It will expand the capacity for interventional procedures in Regina,” said Dawn Leippi, Regina medical imaging director. “We will slowly get our urgent patient waitlist down by adding this suite for all of southern Saskatchewan. It could entice more interventional radiologists to come to Regina.”
IR replaces traditional surgeries and has less risk, less pain and less recovery time in comparison to open surgery. The Regina General hospital which has an IR has seen more than 3,600 patients and at least 5,000 procedures conducted each year. This second IR in the city is a great investment in health care, say health officials.
“The investment of $2.2 million by the Foundation to create a second IR suite in Regina is part of our mission to invest in the priority needs of our hospitals and increase the capacity of our medical teams to continue providing outstanding health care to our southern Saskatchewan community,” stated Dino Sophocleous, HRF president and CEO. “This investment is only possible thanks to the generous support of our donors. Nothing we do happens without our community and for that we are forever grateful.”
HRF said it took a year and a half to raise the money to get the IR suite for Pasqua Hospital.