Southern Albertans asking, again, for critical heart treatment close to home

There are renewed calls for the provincial government to commit cash to a life-saving heart treatment in southern Alberta, after a long sought-after program was not included in the recent provincial budget.

Chinook Regional Hospital in Lethbridge doesn't have a cardiac catheterization lab, leaving the south zone's more than 300,000 residents without access to the gold standard heart treatment close to home.

Cardiac catheterization allows doctors to see and eliminate deadly heart blockages.

Without a so-called "cath lab" in southern Alberta, many heart attack patients must be sent to Calgary for testing and treatment.

"This is a life and death thing," said Lethbridge Mayor Blaine Hyggen. "Health is so important. And this will save lives."

• Lethbridge doctors hope life-saving cardiac treatment comes to their hospital soon
• Lethbridge doctors call for life-saving cardiac treatment across Alberta

Hyggen said his phone hasn't stopped buzzing since the Alberta budget was introduced at the end of February and there was no money for a cardiac catheterization lab.

"It has been non-stop. Hundreds and hundreds of calls, emails, texts. [There's] a lot of frustration," said Hyggen, who's been contacted by residents and mayors from all over the region.

"Overall, I thought the budget was fine. But when it comes to a catheterization lab, I was really quite surprised. I thought this was a given that this would happen."

Hundreds sent to Calgary every year

Dr. Sayeh Zielke, a Lethbridge cardiologist, is one of a number of doctors who have been advocating for a cath lab for years.

"We are frustrated and disheartened," she said. "This is absolutely a critical, life-saving service that is standard of care."

According to Zielke, without a cath lab, roughly 1,000 outpatients have to travel, on their own, from southern Alberta to Calgary every year to have tests done using cardiac catheterization. And more than 300 very sick heart attack patients — including ER and admitted hospital patients — are transferred by air or ground ambulance every year.

"I would love for the government to recognize how impactful and critical this is to our patients' lives and the care that we provide," she said.

"This is a service that we believe should be provided close to home. It's a standard of care across the world. We have the population. We have the demand."

• Doctors reiterate call for Red Deer Regional Hospital transition plan
• Heart treatment could have saved her husband's life — but it wasn't available in central Alberta

According to Zielke, cardiovascular mortality rates are higher than the provincial average in the south zone. And while there are likely a number of factors at play, she believes this gap in service plays a role.

"There are times, to be honest with you, where I am at a bedside and the patient is just too sick to airlift to Calgary. STARS [air ambulance] won't take them because they don't think they can survive the transport.… If we were in a hospital where there was a cath lab, you would just take them down the corridor. So there's no question this … saves lives."

Zielke said a lot of work has been done behind the scenes over the last four years, and there is empty space at the Chinook Regional Hospital where the cath lab could be housed.

"There has been some work done internally by AHS to put together a service plan — for review, approval and hopefully implementation — and the request for expansion of cardiac services has been approved, from what I understand, by Alberta Health Services. And it is on the list of capital asks."

According to Zielke, the initial set-up costs are estimated at approximately $20 million, with yearly operating costs of about $8 million.

Neither AHS nor Alberta's health ministry answered questions from CBC News about the catheterization lab.

Meanwhile, Hyggen said he met with Finance Minister Travis Toews earlier this month and he has a request in to meet with Health Minister Jason Copping.

He's still hopeful but says if the provincial government doesn't commit, the community will go it alone.

"It's going to happen. We will get a cath lab here. I hope it's sooner than later, if we can get some provincial funding. But if not, we'll make it work … and we will fundraise for that."