Highlighting the significance of cardiac services being readily available, Dr Vanterpool said that usually when a person gets a heart attack, at one of the local hospitals or at a Doctor’s office, “There used to be—or maybe still is—a race to get them to some centre where they can have more advanced cardiac care.” Photo: VINO

Chief Executive Officer of the Peebles Hospital, Dr Ronald E. Georges and Dr Vanterpool. Photo: VINO

“I would like to see us reach a point where the relationship is formalized,” said Dr Heskeith Vanterpool, owner of the facility, while noting that most of the patients who access the services of the Dr Kendall Griffith Cardiac Cat Lab came through the state own Peebles Hospital system. Photo: VINO

With that, the management says it is inching closer to formalizing a collaborative relationship with the territory’s main medical facility, the Peebles Hospital amidst an informal but successful relationship.

Formal Arrangement

“I would like to see us reach a point where the relationship is formalized,” said Dr Heskeith Vanterpool, owner of the facility, while noting that most of the patients who access the services of the Dr Kendall Griffith Cardiac Cat Lab came through the state own Peebles Hospital system.

“So there is a need for both groups to work together,” Dr Vanterpool said, in pointing out that several approaches were made to the Management of Peebles in the past to cover services on a more formalized basis.

“I think we have been waiting for a more formal response but I am hoping that we can get that all sorted out,” he said yesterday April 15, 2019, at a press conference held by the management of the Clinic to highlight the successes of their Cat Lab.

Present also was the Chief Executive Officer of the Peebles Hospital, Dr Ronald E. Georges who made a commitment to have the request looked at.

No Response

“Definitely doctor Vanterpool’s proposals will be considered, he will have a response but even in the absence of that, most if not all patients are covered by NHI and where there is a service available on island, NHI does preferentially send patients to that service,” Dr Georges said in defending approximately three unanswered letters sent to establish formal relations. 

He noted that the hospital also utilizes the services of Dr Vanterpool, “So there is a strong relationship as we progress we will see how that ends up,” said Dr Geroges.

Highlighting the significance of cardiac services being readily available, Dr Vanterpool said that usually when a person gets a heart attack, at one of the local hospitals or at a Doctor’s office, “There used to be—or maybe still is—a race to get them to some centre where they can have more advanced cardiac care.”

100% Success Rate

“An air ambulance taking somebody out with a heart attack or heart failure, I don’t know what the current figures are but I know it was somewhere in the region of seven to ten thousand dollars to pick you up from here with personnel and take you to a hospital in Puerto Rico,” Dr Vanterpool said in noting that air transport is usually necessary.

“We are doing these procedures here in the British Virgin Islands so on the basis of not needing to use the air ambulance service alone, there is considerable saving that applies here I believe,” he said.

The local cat lab is also looking at introducing some more advanced services and since starting six months ago, they have recorded a total of 35 cases, with 100% success rate.