RENFREW COUNTY (Pembroke) – The University of Ottawa Heart Institute (UOHI) has partnered with Pembroke Regional Hospital to provide clinical oversight for the local Cardiac Sonography (echocardiogram) program. Cardiac Sonography is a diagnostic test involving ultrasound of the heart.
Until now, long-standing PRH radiologist Dr. John Menzies has performed this role, said Diagnostic Imaging Director Jim Lumsden. “With Dr. Menzies transitioning to retirement, cardiologist Dr. Steven Promislow of UOHI is taking the lead as Medical Director, supported by a team of seven additional cardiologists who can share the workload and help sustain the program.”
Noting that his fellow clinicians are happy to maintain this service in Pembroke, Dr. Promislow spoke positively about the long-standing history of this program in the local community and its successful track record. “The quality of the studies here is excellent, the product is great, and the need is great,” he said.
Dr. Menzies said that having a group of cardiologists in place through the new collaboration will make the longevity of the service that much more secure. “I’ve always believed that our echo services are excellent, but they are more difficult to sustain with only one person.”
And he added that Cardiac Sonographer Kerrie-Lynne Wilson will have new opportunities for professional development and training while backed by a large team from UOHI.
Pembroke Regional Hospital’s Vice-President of Patient Services – Seniors and Community Care Sabine Mersmann said that an additional benefit of this partnership is the opportunity to explore possibilities for expanded service delivery. “Especially when you look at the health profile of Renfrew County – a lot of residents are at high risk for heart-related illness and disease, so there is no shortage of need for diagnostic tests like this,” Ms. Mersmann said, noting that in cardiac sonography alone there are 1,700 tests being done per year.
In order for the partnership to take place, Ms. Mersmann said that the Information Technology teams at PRH and UOHI had to work together upgrading technical equipment so that both sites were compatible and that the UOHI physicians could access and read the images taken in Pembroke.
