Municipality reaffirms support for Drive CT scanner at Kincardine hospital

The Municipality of Kincardine has reaffirmed its support for a Drive CT scanner at the Kincardine hospital, and is urging all residents to tune into a community information session, hosted by the South Bruce Grey Health Centre, slated for Tuesday night, Jan. 26, on Zoom and Facebook Live.

In committee-of-the-whole last night (Jan. 25), Dr. Gary Gurbin addressed council on behalf of the Kincardine Physicians Group.

"The Kincardine hospital has been approved to purchase a Computerized Tomography (CT) scanner," he said. "However, the South Bruce Grey Health Centre board, on the basis of cost and the existence of a better machine at the Walkerton hospital, has selected a less-expensive, but less functional, Edge Plus machine that is unlikely very soon to meet the needs and provide quality health care to the Kincardine community."

The physicians group has identified the Drive model as the better choice, said Gurbin. That was supported by council in December, 2020, and has since been supported by the community, he said.

“Last week, we had a meeting with the hospital board to advance our belief that the Drive CT scanner is the best choice for Kincardine,” said Gurbin. “Two days later, the board sent us a letter that it still believes in the Edge Plus CT scanner because it’s a newer and cheaper machine. The board feels that it’s good enough for Kincardine.”

He outlined the history of the CT scanner which began in 2018, with a delegation to council about the pressing need for this machine at the Kincardine hospital. The hospital board found out and the two groups decided to work together on the project.

Gurbin said that he and mayor Anne Eadie met with Huron-Bruce MPP Lisa Thompson and got her support and then, in September, 2020, on the lawn of the hospital, Thompson presented money for both the CT scanner and a building to house it, as well as funding to advance the redevelopment of the hospital, itself.

“Following that, we’re not sure what happened,” said Gurbin. “What we expected to happen, didn’t transpire.”

Nov. 4, the hospital board announced it was purchasing the Edge Plus CT scanner, instead of the Drive CT scanner, as recommended by the physicians group.

Gurbin said the company, pushing the purchase of the Edge Plus, has assured the board that it will provide the same quality for the services required at the Kincardine hospital, but at a cheaper price, and it will be easier to maintain. And, if higher-quality CT scanning services are required, the patients can go to the Walkerton hospital which has a Drive CT scanner.

In mid-December, 2020, the hospital board announced it had selected the Edge Plus CT scanner for the hospital in Kincardine.

LONDON CARDIOLOGIST SUPPORTS DRIVE CT SCANNER

Gurbin then introduced Dr. Niko Tzemo, a London cardiologist working with the cardiac program linked with the Kincardine hospital.

“At the hospital board’s public meeting tomorrow night (Jan. 26), you are going to hear that Niko has no experience with Edge Plus CT scanners,” said Gurbin. “That’s because there isn’t one of these machines in Canada.”

Tzemo said he supports the Drive CT scanner for the Kincardine hospital because it provides high-quality images and limits radiation exposure to the patients.

“The Drive CT scanner is very versatile and will assist in expanding services so you can attract younger physicians to your hospital,” he said. “I’ve worked in cardiology for 20 years in various health-care systems in the UK., the U.S. and Canada, and you want to buy the best machine with the best technology available.”

He noted that some CT scanners require the heart rate to be reduced by medication before the heart can be scanned. “With the Drive CT, there is no need for that, which is a tremendous advantage for the patient. By not purchasing that machine, you are limiting your possibilities.”

Councillor Maureen Couture asked what council can do about this issue, given that it’s the hospital board making the decision.

“You have given us your support but we need to confirm that and get the community onboard,” said Gurbin. “The physicians’ position is clear and united. The hospital foundation (Kincardine and Community Health Care Foundation) has said it was okay with the Edge Plus but preferred the Drive CT. The foundation has even resolved to cover the additional cost for a Drive CT over the Edge Plus.

“I think the community ought to hold the board accountable. We’ve been denied surgery and maternity at our hospital. This decision is pivotal – are we going to be band-aid station or the vibrant health centre of the future?

“The community is going to get what the community demands. The money for this machine is coming from the community, not the hospital board.”

Gurbin urged council to reaffirm its support for the Drive CT scanner and the importance of this machine for the Kincardine community.

“We have COVID-19 patients in our hospital now,” said Gurbin. “For the difference in cost, we should buy the best machine possible.”

KINCARDINE COMMUNITY DESERVES BEST MACHINE

“It’s so disappointing that the board has changed its mind on the model of CT scanner for our hospital,” said councillor Doug Kennedy. “We’re being treated like second-class citizens. I hope we can convince the board to put the proper machine here and provide the best for our community.”

“We deserve the best of the best in our hospital,” agreed councillor Bill Stewart. “I’m extremely disappointed that the CEO (of the health centre) wouldn’t come and speak to council, and now the board has called a public meeting.”

“We’ve been told that having any CT scanner is better than no CT scanner at all,” said deputy mayor Randy Roppel. “But if we have the ability to provide our community with the best, and if we have the money to fund it, we should move forward with it.”

Eadie said Kincardine has the busiest hospital and is the fastest-growing area in Bruce and Grey counties.

“We need to augment our services for the future,” she said. “The municipality is very much involved in health care. In 2016, we put in $300,000, and Huron-Kinloss put in $50,000, for a plan for the redevelopment of the hospital. We deserve the best for the future of our hospital.”

“We need the public to attend that hospital board public meeting tomorrow night (Jan. 26),” said Kennedy.

“I agree,” said Stewart. “I’d like to see 12,000 people on that meeting, telling the board that we want the top CT scanner, not the cheapest one.”

Roppel suggested giving the mayor direction to state the case to the board, on behalf of council and the residents of the municipality.

Committee-of-the-whole agreed with that suggestion and it was later endorsed by council.

“You’re going to hear a lot of compelling arguments from the hospital board,” said Gurbin. “Bu we have to remember that Kincardine lives matter, our patients’ lives matter. We need the right equipment to care for our community.”

To join the community information session Jan. 26 on Zoom and Facebook Live, contact patientrelations@sbghc.on.ca or visit the South Bruce Grey Health Centre website at sbghc.on.ca/ or Facebook page at www.facebook.com/sbghc for connection information (to be posted Jan. 26).