There are regional cardiac
(heart), diabetes, and oncology (cancer)
services provided within the Medical Specialties Patient Care Program. Aspects
of care include screening, prevention, treatment and follow-up.
These programs, although anchored at the regional
hospital in Fredericton, are available region-wide through a
network of hospitals, community health centres and the
Extra-Mural Program.
River Valley Health also offers one of three
rheumatology services available in the province of New
Brunswick. This rheumatology service is supported by
inpatient beds and diagnostic and therapeutic services
located at the Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital. A
22-bed inpatient unit located at Dr. Everett Chalmers
Regional Hospital supports each of these specialized
programs as well as ambulatory services in facilities
throughout the region.
Cardiac Care:
Cardiac Care services in the region includes
prevention, treatment and follow-up.
Prevention of cardiac problems is supported through teaching
programs such as: smoking cessation, high cholesterol, weight
loss, and anti-hypertension patient education sessions. These
sessions are available in all Health Centres in this region.
Medical treatment (such as, antiarrhythmia and
antihypertension therapy) is available in specialized units
including an 11 bed unit at the Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional
Hospital (Fredericton), and in four beds units in
Hotel Dieu of St. Joseph (Perth-Andover) and
the Upper River
Valley Hospital (Waterville).
For complex specialized cardiology services (for
example, cardiac surgery) the region is closely linked with
the New Brunswick Heart Centre in Saint John, 110 kilometers
from the regional hospital. This link is complemented by
tele-cardiology
services that provide improved access and follow-up to
Heart Centre services.
Patients and families are supported in coping with cardiac
health problems through a number of services available in the
regional hospital, community hospitals, and health centres.
These include teaching programs, support groups, and one on one
counseling.
For more information, please contact
Charlotte.Russell@rvh.nb.ca
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Diabetes Care:
Diabetes Information:
We are pleased to provide the following resources for
patients with diabetes in our region.
Managing Diabetes
–Information for Patients and Staff
La gestion du
diabète-renseignements aux patients et au personnel
Managing
Diabetes Resource for First Nations People and their communities
These resources are based on the CDA 2003 Clinical Practice
Guidelines. Information in this document includes fact sheets on type 1 and 2
diabetes, diet guidelines, hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia, blood glucose testing,
exercise, alcohol use, stress, foot care and coping with a brief illness. In
addition, contact information is provided for diabetes education services
throughout the region.
For more information, please contact
Charlotte.Russell@rvh.nb.ca
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Cancer Care:
River Valley Health's
Oncology Service provides a broad range of cancer care
services to adults and children with cancer and their
families, as well as those individuals at risk for cancer.
Cancer care is delivered in a variety of settings throughout
the region, and includes prevention, screening, early
detection, diagnosis, treatment, supportive care,
rehabilitation, and palliative care.
A team of health care professionals provides patient and
family-focused cancer services, including medical
consultation, treatment planning, treatment (including most
chemotherapy and surgery), counseling, follow-up, and
unscheduled care related to cancer treatment.
Children with cancer go outside the region for initial
treatment planning. Ongoing care of the child is provided at
the Hotel-Dieu of St. Joseph in Perth-Andover and the Dr.
Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital in Fredericton.
Consultation for symptom management or palliative care with
the palliative care physician is available at any point
during the person's experience with cancer. People who have
terminal cancer may be referred to the palliative care
service by their family doctor.
For those patients who need radiation therapy, specialized
treatments such as bone or marrow transplant, or who are
eligible and interested in participating in a clinical
trial, referrals can be made to cancer centres where the
services are available.
More information about the River
Valley Health Cancer Care Service
For more information, please contact
Kim.Chapman@rvh.nb.ca