Innovative Procurement Partnership Enhancing Cardiac Care at St. Mary’s General Hospital
Specialized replacement heart valve helps patients access lifesaving treatments sooner
An innovative procurement partnership between Mohawk Medbuy Corporation (MMC) and St. Mary’s General Hospital in Kitchener is supporting the adoption of new technologies that are enhancing cardiac care for an ever-growing number of Ontario patients.
In 2021, MMC partnered with St. Mary’s in a value-based procurement designed to meet the community’s growing needs and help ensure patients receive cardiac care faster and closer to home. The hospital, which supports over 1,000,000 residents in a catchment area stretching north to Grey-Bruce and south to the shores of Norfolk, has seen a 55 percent volume increase in patients since 2005.
One of many positive advances made possible by this procurement is St. Mary’s use of the Evolut™ FX transcatheter aortic valve, a specialized, minimally invasive system developed by Medtronic. Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) procedures address severe aortic stenosis (a narrowing of the heart valve that results in decreased blood flow to the heart).
“Utilizing Evolut allows St. Mary’s to offer treatment options that are optimized for each individual patient’s anatomy and physiology,” said Frann Hill, Key Account Manager, Medtronic Canada. “Patients who need the Evolut valve can receive the best treatment for them closer to home, rather than having to travel to a hospital in London or Mississauga.”
“Innovations like Evolut make a night-and-day difference for our patient population,” said Stefanie Cooper, Program Manager, St. Mary’s Cardiac Catheterization Lab. “Our procurement partnership with MMC has allowed us to increase our capacity – we can perform more lifesaving procedures in a day and treat a broader spectrum of patients.”
TAVI procedures are quicker and much less invasive than surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) – the open-chest surgery traditionally used for valve replacement. They don’t require general anesthesia, the patient is usually discharged the next day (or sometimes even the same day) and the procedure carries fewer risks of complications. It’s an excellent option for patients who are not good candidates for a SAVR procedure.
“We’re thrilled with the results of our procurement partnership with St. Mary’s and Medtronic,” said Ally Dhalla, Senior Vice President, Pharmacy and Clinical Services and Innovation at Mohawk Medbuy. “Our goal from the beginning has been to ensure as many patients as possible access the best cardiac care possible. The rollout of Evolut means St. Mary’s growing patient population is getting the time-sensitive cardiac treatment they need. And that’s something to celebrate.”