By AIDAN KNIGHT
LATROBE Regional Hospital has taken one large step for Gippsland-kind, after it opened its second cardiac catheterisation lab earlier this month.
This allows LRH to perform its own pacemaker installations.
The new catheterisation lab is the first of its kind in Victoria, allowing better imaging and a reduced radiation emittance thanks to the AI-powered Canon Alphenix evolve system. The system produces 40 per cent less radiation than the previously used one, and the artificial intelligence digitally upscales the imaging process, making for clear and more precise images for surgeons to work with.
LRH Cardiology Director, Dr Derek Pol said the new lab will provide Gippslanders with faster access to critical, life-saving procedures, without the dreaded Melbourne commute.
“Just because we’re regional doesn’t make regional patients second-class citizens,” he said.
“We (LRH) don’t want to rest on our laurels. We can be the best of the best, and that’s what we’re aiming for.”
Dr Pol wants to fight the misconception that regional hospitals offer inferior care, citing how regional hospitals can match, and now, in the new lab, exceed those of metropolitan standard.
“All of my staff come from the Alfred or Victorian Harper,” he said.
“Regional patients can drive less, not have to pay for parking, and be provided with the same quality care.”
Hospitals like Bendigo and Ballarat have been developing specialised services for years, and Latrobe is now rapidly catching up, planning to expand its heart failure and transplant services.
The same day the lab opened, LRH was host to its first-ever pacemaker installation, after which the Express spoke to the surgeon who performed the procedure, Dr David Chieng.
His view on the importance of regional healthcare was similar to Dr Pol’s, even as a metropolitan physician, working also at the Alfred, Epworth, and Royal Melbourne.
“There’s certainly a growing need for pacemakers in the regions where we have an aging population, and the number of patients who need pacemakers become more as the years go on,” he said.
“Lots of patients have always found it troublesome to go down to Melbourne, so to be able to do it here, I think it’s been quite helpful.”
Dr Chieng finished his cariology training in 2018, before completing a fellowship in pacing and ablations at the Alfred for four years, and has been a consultant for three years now. He holds 23 separate awards for his work and research in the cardiovascular sector, three of which applied to his PHD alone, and was described by Dr Pol as “top tier in his field”.
“Our patients deserve that,” Dr Pol said of his colleague’s expertise.
“It’s about equity, speed, safety, and community-centred care. It’s not just about capacity, it’s about bringing critical heart care into the heart of the community.”
Dr Pol clarified that this new expanded capability was not limited to only Latrobe residents, and will happily service those from Bairnsdale and as far as Drouin.
“If you’re a public patient in either of those areas, we would love to have you. We want to look after regional patients,” he said.
With cutting-edge technology and specialist expertise now in Traralgon, Latrobe Regional Hospital is reshaping the future of healthcare in Gippsland.
