February 19, 2009

“We are strengthening the battle against cardiac disease in Northwestern Ontario,” says Ken Bittle, Chair of the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation Board of Directors. “Through donations to the Northern Cardiac Fund and continuous progress at our Health Sciences Centre, we are brining world-class cardiac care closer to home.”

Donations to the Northern Cardiac Fund and a commitment to world-class cardiac care at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre produced yet another development in patient care. Cardiac patients will benefit from the addition of a Nurse Practitioner to the Cardiac Program.

Grace Fox’s new role in the cardiac program is centered around case management and patient education. Fox will perform initial patient consultations, coordinate services for patients, provide medication education and rehabilitation schedules, and act as a link between the patient and other members of the cardiac team including cardiac surgeons in other centres.

“Patients benefit not only from an action plan for recovery, but also from a single point of contact throughout their journey,” Fox explains. “I will be there to guide the patients through their progress and reduce their chances of readmission. My role is to empower patients by providing them with the confidence and tools they need to succeed.”

The addition of a Nurse Practitioner to the cardiac program translates to more comprehensive care for the patient and creates efficiencies throughout the program, according to Dr. Frank Nigro, Director of Cardiology at the Health Sciences Centre. “Grace helps fill an integral gap in the cardiac team and patient service,” Nigro explains. “With the Nurse Practitioner assuming the coordination of patient services, cardiologists are provided with more time to perform cardiac procedures.”

As the cardiac program at the Health Sciences Centre expands, so will Fox’s role. “This is an exciting time. The growth of the cardiac program presents new opportunities to support and build on patient care,” Fox says. She is well-suited for the challenge. With 30 years of nursing experience and the desire to embrace new experiences, Fox looks forward to demonstrating the value she will add to the cardiac program and patients’ experiences.

Fox already has plans for the future, including the development of new cardiac outpatient programs. “I would first like to develop a program for patients without family physicians so that I can ensure follow-up on lab results and management of chronic cardiac disease,” she says. “Like the entire cardiac team, I want to bring the best cardiac care possible to the people of Northwestern Ontario.”

Donations to the Northern Cardiac Fund of the Health Sciences Foundation support the work of the cardiac team at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. To make a donation during Cardiac Awareness Month, visit www.healthsciencesfoundation.ca.

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