*Photo courtesy Boundary Trails Clinical Teaching Unit*
More surgeries can be booked, sooner, at Boundary Trails Health Centre (BTHC) with the addition of a $100,000 laparoscopic tower.
The additional operating room equipment was made possible thanks to fundraising efforts from the BTHC Foundation, and $50,000 in supp
ort from Enbridge.
BTHC Clinical Services Manager Martin O’Byrne explains the equipment gives doctors a live feed while in surgery.
“It allows us to run more surgeries, we’re not fighting over one laparoscopic tower that’s specialized for looking inside a patient witho
ut opening them up,” O’Byrne says.
Two towers mean two operating runs, “which has really increased our patient flow and the ability to do more surgeries… it’s been a real asset.”
In the past, staff had to juggle surgery dates to accommodate when the sole laparoscopic tower was booked.
He notes it’s all thanks to the generosity of local BTHC Foundation supporters and the grant from Enbridge.
“Quality health care is important to all of us and Enbridge applauds the important work of the Boundary Trails Health Centre Fou
ndation in supporting initiatives that this facility needs, including this state-of-the-art laparoscopic surgical equipment,” Enbridge’s Andrew Plett says.
He notes the contribution of $50,000 was part of a special community investment fund set aside under Enbridge’s Line 3 pipeline replacement project. “We’re proud to be able to support the purchase of this important ‘wish list’ item for the Boundary Trails Health Centre.”
“The community has supported us from everything from the small items to the really large items and it’s always very welcome and appreciated. I can say this on behalf of my colleagues… we are very, very grateful for their contributions,” O’Byrne says. “At the end of the day, it’s our patients that benefit because we have the equipment available.”
Written by Steven Sukkau