The Chatham-Kent Health Alliance (CKHA) celebrated a program and service delivery milestone on Wednesday, April 7, 2021 with the official renewal of its urology services.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the occasion was attended by select staff and physicians to ensure physical distancing and compliance with public health measures.
Hospital officials say this milestone for CKHA signifies the completion of construction on a new state-of-the-art operating room theatre at the Chatham site to accommodate urology and other surgical procedures.
“I am proud of our urology steering committee, and grateful to CKHA Foundation and our donors who were all instrumental in bringing comprehensive urological services back to CKHA through years of work, planning and fundraising,” stated Lori Marshall, president and CEO at CKHA, in a media release.
“It’s gratifying to know we are now delivering this service for our patients and their families, while reducing the need to travel outside of Chatham-Kent for urological services.”
During consultation with the community, a gap was identified for these services in Chatham-Kent, hospital officials say.
CKHA committed to filling this service gap through its 2017-2021 strategic plan and is now delivering on its commitment of new urology services with the completion of a modernized operating room theatre.
Along with accommodating urological cases, the newly renovated space was also designed to assist with other surgical procedures performed at CKHA.
The updated space is another approach that will aid the organization with its surgical renewal following cancellations of elective procedures in 2020 due to the pandemic, hospital officials say.
Additionally, ambulatory urology clinics have begun at both of CKHA’s sites.
This service delivery is in line with the organization’s Mission: One Team – Two Sites: Serving Chatham & Rural Kent.
“This is a momentous day for CKHA and our community; our state-of-the-art operating room coupled with the expertise and skill of our Urologist, Dr. Hamidreza Abdi, will ensure we can meet the needs of our patients for years to come,” said Dr. Pervez Faruqi, chief of staff at CKHA, in a media release.
“We are also thankful for the support we received from the urologists at Bluewater Health who have provided high quality care to our patients over the years and look forward to continuing our partnership with them.”
Led by Dr. Elizabeth Haddad, former chief of surgery, general surgeon at CKHA, a dedicated team of staff and physicians contributed a significant amount of time, work and planning to ensure urology service renewal at CKHA was a success, hospital officials say.
Construction on the project began last summer and saw the complete renovation of operating room one and adjacent storage space.
Operating room one was updated to deliver a modern operating space including an integrated ceiling system with an enhanced air diffuser and lighting flexibility.
In the new space, staff are able to easily control imaging, sound and lighting, creating optimal environments for multiple surgical procedures, hospital officials added.
Additionally, operating room seven has been converted from a storage space to a multi-purpose procedure room with updated med-gas services, lighting, lead lining and image viewing.
“It’s a very exciting day to see our project through to completion and welcome local patients back to CKHA who require comprehensive urological services,” Dr. Haddad said in a press release.
“I’m proud of the team who brought this project to fruition and thankful for their expertise and months of hard work. I’d also like to acknowledge our partnership with the urologists at Bluewater Health over the years, who have provided excellent care to our patients.”
Urology is a part of health care that deals with diseases of the male and female urinary tract (kidney, ureters, bladder, prostate and urethra).
Urology is known as a surgical specialty, hospital officials say.
Examples of conditions that will now be treated at CKHA include prostate gland enlargement, kidney stones, prostatitis, urinary tract infections, sexual dysfunction, infertility, bladder prolapse, urinary incontinence and cancers of the bladder, kidneys, penis, testicles, and adrenal and prostate glands.
In 2020, CKHA welcomed Dr. Abdi, urologist, to the organization and community.
Dr. Abdi completed his urology residency training at the University of Ottawa and began establishing his practice in CKHA’s new urology service last summer, hospital officials say.
“I have felt extremely welcomed by the staff and physicians at CKHA since my first site visit and I knew immediately the organization and community would be an excellent choice for myself and my family,” said Dr. Abdi, in a media release.
“I am honoured to be a part of this historical urology service renewal at CKHA and proud to serve the residents of Chatham-Kent.”
Mary Lou Crowley, president and CEO of the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance Foundation, said they have received a tremendous amount of support from all corners of Chatham-Kent, raising over $700,000 to purchase equipment for the renewal of urology services at CKHA.
“Funds were raised through various events and campaigns over the course of two years, and I cannot thank our community enough for helping to make these services a reality,” Crowley said in a media release.
Patients who require a referral for urology services should speak to their primary care provider.
For inquiries about CKHA’s urology program, Dr. Abdi’s office can be reached at 519-352-6401 extension 5770.
