Expanded and Upgraded Interventional Radiology Suites Open in Regina

Released on March 15, 2022

Patients in Regina and southern Saskatchewan will now have increased access to image-guided surgery thanks to the construction of a new Interventional Radiology (IR) suite at the Pasqua Hospital.  Renovations are also underway at the current IR suite located at the Regina General Hospital.  This project was funded by the Government of Saskatchewan through the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA), and by the Hospitals of Regina Foundation (HRF).

"Thousands of Saskatchewan patients will now have access to the many benefits of interventional radiology," Health Minister Paul Merriman said.  "This type of image-guided, minimally-invasive surgery lowers risks for patients, decreases time in hospital, and helps to reduce overall wait time for surgery.  I am pleased to celebrate this achievement with the Hospitals of Regina Foundation."

Interventional Radiology is a specialized service that allows physicians to see inside a patient's body using ultrasound, x-ray or CT scans to guide medical instruments as they're being used to treat many conditions.  Unlike traditional surgery, which requires a large incision, physicians are able to make a small incision for treatment.  As a result, IR helps to reduce the need for general anesthesia, shortens patients' time in hospital, and speeds up recovery time.

The addition of a new suite at the Pasqua Hospital will allow for an increase of more than 1,000 procedures per year, helping to lower wait times for surgery in Regina.  In addition, renovations and upgrades to the current suite at the Regina General Hospital will ensure limited downtime in the future due to required maintenance.

The total cost of this project is approximately $4 million, with the Government of Saskatchewan providing $1.83 million for construction and renovations, plus an additional $549,000 for operating costs in 2021 and 2022.  The Hospitals of Regina Foundation generously matched this investment by providing $2.2 million raised through their ongoing fundraising campaigns.

"The investment of $2.2 million by the Foundation to create a second IR Suite in Regina is part of our mission to invest in the priority needs of our hospitals and increase the capacity of our medical teams to continue providing outstanding health care to our southern Saskatchewan community," Hospitals of Regina Foundation President and CEO Dino Sophocleous said.  "This investment is only possible thanks to the generous support of our donors.  Nothing we do happens without our community and for that we are forever grateful."

"The addition of a second IR suite will assist our specialized teams to provide patients with an alternative to more invasive surgeries that would traditionally be done in our operating rooms," Saskatchewan Health Authority Executive Director of Medical Imaging Bryan Witt said. "Interventional Radiology allows for procedures to be done without the use of general anesthetic and permits most patients to return home that same day with a shorter recovery time. We are grateful for the Government of Saskatchewan and Hospitals of Regina Foundation for providing our medical teams with this highly specialized equipment to better help patients in southern Saskatchewan."

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