Northern Health launches Cardiac Care Clinic in Prince George

Cardiac patients across Northern British Columbia now have new resources for heart care, as Northern Health adds to the technology pool at the Cardiac Clinic in Prince George, offering cardiac health care advice through tele-health technology to other regions of the Northern Health service region including Prince Rupert.

Located in the Victoria Medical Centre in Prince George, the clinic is designed to offer patients across Northern British Columbia the ability to consult with cardiac specialists either with a visit to the clinic or by video conference.

The latter aspect, that of the video conferencing is designed to reduce patient travel, while still gaining access to cardiac information. Cardiac specialists in Prince George now have the ability to examine patients through electronic means, including a remote digital stethoscope, a process which provides for quicker information getting back to both the patient and the patients primary health provider.

Other aspects of the program include the use of electronic medical records and charting, allowing for access to a patients up to date records by those medical professionals involved in the patients care.

The program is known as The Network of Rural to Tertiary Healthcare or (NORTH) and Prince Rupert, Kitimat and Terrace have been a part of it since the spring of 2012, with plans to expand the service to other Northern BC communities in the works.

The annual operating cost of the program is estimated to be at $300,000 and the program receives support from the Cardiac Services BC's Heart Failure Network.

The official launch of the program took place last week in Prince George, some of the background on what's now available can be found below.


CKPG TV-- Heart Clinic 
CKPG TV-- Heart Clinic Opens in Prince George
Prince George Citizen-- New gear lets cardiologists reach outlying region
Opinion 250-- New Cardiac Care Network Established for NORTH
CFTK-- Feb 20-- Cardiac Specialists (video)