The Premier and Minister
of Health of Ontario
Officially Open the
Peter Munk Cardiac Centre
at The Toronto Hospital
State-of-the-art Facility Improves
Continuity of Care,
Reduces Length of Stay and Maximizes
Efficiencies
(May 14, 1997).. Premier Michael Harris and the Minister of Health Jim Wilson
officially opened Canada's premier cardiac centre today at The Toronto Hospital.
The Peter Munk Cardiac Centre is the new home of Canada's largest Cardiac
Program. It is named in honour of Mr. Peter Munk, Chairman and CEO of Barrick
Gold Corporation, who provided the lead gift of $5 million to the $25 million
fundraising campaign, From the Heart. The campaign, which was launched
in December, 1993, topped its goal May 1, 1997. (The funds were used to
renovate and refurbish an existing wing of the Hospital the Gerrard Wing,
the cardiac operating rooms on the second floor of the Eaton Building and
four floors of the Bell Wing to house the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre.)
"The Toronto Hospital is known worldwide for its leadership in cardiac
research, patient care and teaching," said Dr. Alan Hudson, President
and CEO. "With the opening of this new centre, which incorporates innovative
elements of design and patient care, The Toronto Hospital will continue
to be at the forefront of cardiac care. Much of this has been possible with
the financial support and dedication of our benefactor Peter Munk."
"Mr. Munk has contributed the largest single donation ever received
by the Hospital," said Mrs. Mary Connacher, Chairman of The Toronto
Hospital Foundation. "He has increased his original donation by an
additional million to $6 million and along with the generosity of many others
is playing an important role to help enhance patient care at the Hospital."
The Peter Munk Cardiac Centre was designed to consolidate cardiac services
horizontally in a single geographic location. As a result, patient care
is enhanced through improved continuity of care, closer contact with the
health care team and reduced patient transfers within the Hospital. The
horizontal integration of cardiac services also facilitated the implementation
of The Toronto Hospital Cardiac System which reduces length of stay in intensive
care by half from 48 hours to 24 for open heart surgery. With the system
fully implemented, the Hospital has been able to reduce length of stay for
cardiac surgery patients by a third (from 11 days to 7 days).
The focal point of the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre is the Progressive Care
Unit, a 36-bed unit featuring single rooms with sliding glass walls. The
glass walls allow for flexible care from intensive to step down care --
in the same unit without transferring patients. Instead, nursing levels
are adjusted depending on the acuity (illness) level of patients. The flexible
configuration of the unit also allows the hospital to maximize resources
thereby increasing the number of cardiac surgeries performed. This year
the Hospital will perform 2,600 open heart surgeries.
The Toronto Hospital is Canada's largest acute care teaching facility with
close to 1200 beds. It has gained a reputation of excellence in patient
care, teaching and research in each of its priority program cardiac sciences,
neurosciences, transplantation and oncology.
For more information, contact Josey Panetta, Senior Media Relations Officer, The Toronto Hospital 416-340-3303;
The Toronto Hospital Cardiac Program
The Toronto Hospital Cardiac Program has an international
reputation for providing excellence in patient care, teaching and research.
It is a leader in cardiac care in Ontario providing 60 per cent of all tertiary
adult cardiac services in Metro and 25 per cent of tertiary care services
in Ontario. In terms of service delivery, the program provides:
58 per cent of all cardiac surgery in Metro
Toronto, 26 per cent in Ontario
56 per cent of all catheterization in Metro Toronto, 24 per cent province
wide
58 per cent of all angioplasties in Metro Toronto, 22 per cent in the province
The Hospital's research activities in cardiac sciences cover the spectrum
from fundamental basic science to the development of new surgical and medical
technologies. The scope of research at
The Toronto Hospital has made this institution a national source for cardiovascular
discovery, education and patient care. In addition, the Hospital trains
more cardiologists and cardiovascular surgeons than any hospital in Canada.
Cardiac Program Statistics:
Beds
Short Stay 20
Progressive Care 36
Cardiac Surgery 47
Cardiology 44
Coronary Care Unit 14
Total 161
Cardiac Operating Rooms 5
Staff, Full Time
Cardiologists 28
Cardiac Surgeons 8
Nursing 230
Planned Number of Clinical Visits for 1997/98
7,000
(includes cardiac specialty clinics such as general cardiology, hypertrophic,
cardiomyopathy, congenital cardiac, heart failure and Cardiac Same Day Admit
and Pre-Admissions program )
Planned Open Heart Procedures for 1997/98 2600
(coronary bypass surgery and heart replacements)
Statistics for 1996/97
Cardiac Catheterization 6390
(Also known as angiograms -- X-ray examination of the coronary arteries
using an injection of opaque liquid.)
Angioplasties
1274
(A balloon catheter is used to open a narrowed artery.)
Pacemakers
410
Implantable Defibrillators 50