CHEO opens state-of-the-art “IR Cath and Sim” lab

Ottawa – CHEO, a pediatric health and research center in the Canadian capital, is now home to world-class technologies that enhance safety and improve access to diagnostic procedures and treatments for young patients. Interventional radiology, catheterization and simulation are performed by CHEO specialists in the “IR Cath and Sim” lab. The newly installed equipment not only means a better and faster experience for some of CHEO’s critically ill patients, but also provides a risk-free training environment for medical learners.

“CHEO’s existing IR Cath lab has served us for nearly 15 years, but it is aging and the equipment is becoming unreliable,” said the head of CHEO’s cardiology department. Dr. Jane Lougheed (pictured) said: “As repairs become more frequent, we will have to send very seriously ill young patients elsewhere, which is not what we want.”

“The impact of this new simulation capability will be felt broadly by healthcare providers and the patients they care for,” explains Dr. Anna-Theresa Lobos, Simulation Medical Director at CHEO. “This new facility enables healthcare professionals from all walks of life to acquire skills through simulation-based learning, which will improve and advance pediatric care and patient safety.”

“Anyone who has ever ordered a large item online will relate to the challenges of the COVID-era supply chain that turned this project into a nearly 32-month process,” says project manager Caroline Boileau. increase. “We will tackle the problem and patients and families will be the big winners. That has always been our goal.”

The redevelopment of the lab was made possible by philanthropic efforts. This includes his $2 million corporate donation from his CP in 2017. When the CP Women’s Open was held in the capital, there was also significant support for heart care at CHEO thanks to the CP Has Heart program.

Keith Creel, CP President and CEO, said: “Congratulations to CHEO on the opening of the new lab and the important work being done by the world-class team at facilities such as IR Cath and Sim Lab.”

Newly installed equipment will allow CHEO to perform three times as many procedures as it does today, while also improving access and safety.

Alex Munter, President and CEO of CHEO, said: “This investment will help an entire generation of patients live their best lives, and it is definitely something to celebrate.”

CHEO patients like Dahlia Belfer are well aware of how this device can improve their lives.

“When someone has a chronic illness that requires ongoing intervention, the hospital becomes a second home and a scary space at the same time,” Belfer says. But new spaces like this can potentially remove an enormous amount of pain and fear associated with interventions that exist to keep you alive.”

Belfer adds, “Don’t be afraid of what stays healthy. Using technology to make these procedures easier and less painful can make a big difference.” .

Steve Reed, President and CEO of the CHEO Foundation, which facilitated the CP donation, said: “This donor-led investment is a huge win not only for patients and families, but also for the clinicians who provide their care. We were able to take a big step forward.”

About Cheo
Dedicated to helping every child and young person live their best life, CHEO is a global leader in pediatric medicine and research. Based in Ottawa, CHEO has hospitals, children’s treatment centers, schools, research institutes, and satellite services located throughout Eastern Ontario. CHEO delivers excellence in complex pediatric care, research, and education. We are committed to working with families and communities to provide specialized care when, where and how it is needed. CHEO is a partner of the Kids Come First Health Team, a network of partners in Eastern Ontario, dedicated to creating high quality, standardized and coordinated systems for pediatric health care centered on children, adolescents and their families. It is working. Each year, CHEO assists more than 500,000 of her children and young people in Eastern Ontario, Western Quebec, Nunavut and Northern Ontario.