Construction will begin this summer to expand and renovate the cardiac catheterization lab at Windsor Regional Hospital's Ouellette Campus.
Funding for the project was announced in Janaury 2023. At that time, the project was expected to take 12-18 months to complete.
The tender for the project has already been issued and a contractor has been selected. The government has committed $31-million to the project.
"It's really a milestone for marking a new era for health care in Windsor-Essex County and the broader region that our cardiac cath lab serves. This is not just a brick and mortar facility, it's a beacon of hope for our patients experiencing cardiovascular disease," said Karen Riddell, WRH Acting President and CEO and Chief Nursing Executive.
The new cath lab, which will be moved from the basement to the second floor is expected to open in 2026.
Once open, it will expand capacity for cardiac catheterization procedures and nearly eliminate the need to send patients to other facilities for their procedures.
According to the hospital, they send one patient per month to Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit due to capacity issues and down time on the single table. This costs the system between $43,000 and $75,000 USD per procedure.
The same level of service will be maintained once the new acute care hospital opens.
