Giving Changes Cardiac Care
Building a healthier future, together.
"Continuing the momentum of community support is critical to KGH becoming a true medical centre of excellence providing world class patient care, participation in cutting edge research, training the next generation of physicians and providing leadership to the rest of the province. By striving for excellence and having the support of the community, our local hospital will be truly exceptional."
Dr. Christopher Lane - Medical Director, IH Heart Rhythm Services
Every year, thousands of people across the Southern Interior of BC experience acute cardiac complications requiring urgent, specialized care. KGH is home to a fully operational cardiac centre, with advanced technology, specialized surgical suites and expert cardiac teams providing lifesaving care to patients from across the region.
Built through years of community support, investment, and collaboration, cardiac care at KGH continues to evolve. Through Closer to Home Than You Think, our community’s support helped take that care even further. Campaign investments expanded critical care capacity, introduced new technology, strengthened specialized training and innovation, and are helping establish a new minimally invasive Mitral Valve Surgery Program.
These are just a few examples of how campaign support is advancing cardiac care at KGH.
Expanding Cardiac Critical Care
To meet the growing demand for cardiac critical care at KGH, four previously shelled rooms – two in the Cardiac Surgery Intensive Care Unit (CSICU) and two in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU) – have been outfitted with specialized equipment needed to care for critically ill cardiac patients. This expansion was anticipated to increase cardiac surgery capacity by 67%, significantly improving access to care for patients across the region.
Bringing New Heart Rhythm Treatment to KGH
KGH’s cardiac team has introduced Pulse Field Ablation (PFA), an advanced treatment for atrial fibrillation. The procedure targets heart tissue causing abnormal electrical signals. This precise and efficient technology has nearly doubled daily procedure volume, helping the cardiac team treat more patients and reduce wait times.
Supporting Lifesaving Heart & Lung Care
KGH now has access to lifesaving technology for patients experiencing severe heart or lung failure. Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) temporarily takes over the work of the heart and lungs when other treatments are no longer enough, giving critically ill patients vital time for treatment and recovery. As the only site in Interior Health offering ECMO, this technology is an important part of advanced cardiac and critical care across the region.
Enhancing diagnosis & care
KGH’s cardiac teams now have access to additional specialized imaging technology to support diagnosis, surgery and treatment. New Transesophageal Echocardiogram (TEE) probes provide detailed, high-quality images of the heart, helping improve diagnostic accuracy and guide patient care.
KGH is one of only five sites in Interior Health performing TEEs and the only one supporting both cardiac surgery and electrophysiology.
Bringing Mitral Valve Surgery to KGH
A new minimally invasive approach to mitral valve surgery is coming to KGH, giving patients access to advanced cardiac surgery here in the Interior. With donor-funded specialized surgical equipment, KGH’s cardiac surgery team will be able to perform these procedures through smaller incisions, providing an alternative to traditional sternotomy which requires months of recovery. For patients, this means less recovery time and fewer mobility restrictions, while helping more people receive specialized cardiac care at KGH rather than travelling to Vancouver.
Patients cared for in the KGH Cath Lab each year
Cardiac surgeries performed in 2025
electrophysiology procedures performed in 2025
GIVING CHANGES EVERYTHING
ESTABLISHING SAVE BC
Inspired by the sudden loss of their son to a heart attack, Cam Kourany and Sharon Varette provided a gift that helped establish SAVE BC.
The Study to Avoid cardioVascular Events in British Columbia (SAVE BC) program aims to identify and support individuals at risk of premature cardiovascular disease through early detection, intervention, and education. By focusing on those with a family history of early heart disease, SAVE BC strives to prevent future cardiac events and improve heart health across British Columbia.
EP Companion CIED Decision Support Tool
The Jim Pattison Centre is working with Dr. Scott Barichello, a cardiologist and cardiac electrophysiologist at KGH, to advance clinical innovation in cardiac care. Across Interior Health, clinicians care for more than 10,000 people with implanted devices such as pacemakers and defibrillators, interpreting complex reports to make timely care decisions. Dr. Barichello’s project, EP Companion, is being implemented to simplify this information and support earlier identification and management of stroke risk.
Its potential benefits include reducing clinicians’ information review burden and helping them respond sooner when a patient needs treatment.
The next milestone is a quality improvement pilot at KGH, targeted for May 2027, within a five-year development and evaluation initiative.
CARDIAC CARE
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