Patients from across the Kootenay Boundary with epilepsy, seizures and other brain conditions will benefit from a new dedicated regional Electroencephalography (EEG) diagnostic service at the Castlegar and District Community Health Centre beginning February 5th.
Photo left to right: Polly Chernoff, Sandy Groutage, Jim Gourlie, Gil Heney, Karen Banks, Andy Stupnikoff, Margaret Holoboff, Nettie Stupnikoff & Joy Harford.
“Having this enhanced service in Castlegar will allow Interior Health to increase the number of tests done each year in the Kootenay Boundary by approximately 35 per cent. Physicians will be able to diagnose and treat their patients more quickly,” said Health Minister Margaret McDiarmid.
Thanks to an $8,500 donation from the Castlegar and District Hospital Auxiliary Society, Interior Health was able to renovate an area of the health centre and dedicate it to the expanded regional EEG service. Interior Health will provide EEG testing four days every month at the Castlegar site.
“Interior Health is grateful to the Foundation for funding the renovations that allowed this expansion to services in the Kootenay Boundary. This is good news for patients who require this specialized testing in order to get care planning in place that meets their needs,” said Norman Embree, IH Board Chair.
An EEG is a recording of the electrical activity of the brain, sometimes referred to as a person’s “brain waves.” EEG can also provide valuable information to the health care team for patients with tumors, strokes, developmental delay, unexplained coma and some mental health conditions. These exams are done by highly sought after specialized technologists. EEGs are ordered through a referral from a patient’s GP or specialist physician.
Interior Health is also improving the Kootenay Boundary scheduling and prioritizing of EEGs to ensure patients who have the most urgent needs receive testing as quickly as possible.