The Lachine Campus looking to improve access with new upgrades
“Boiling the problem of obesity down to negligent or carefree behaviour is completely unfair to the 300,000 Quebecers who suffer from this condition," said Dr. Nicolas Christou, a leading surgeon in this field at the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC). The causes are actually a lot more complex and can arise from genetic, psychological or sociodemographic factors, all of which can lead to severe bodily dysfunction that threatens the lives of the morbidly obese. Bariatric surgery is not a luxury. It’s a necessity!”
A situation that weighs heavily on our health care system
Although Quebec hospitals conduct about 840 bariatric surgeries a year, the morbidly obese have to wait years before going under the knife.
At the same time, a report from AETMIS (the Quebec government agency responsible for assessing health services and technologies) estimated that in one year (1999-2000), “obesity accounted for expenditures of $700 million and productivity losses of over $800 million.” This adds up to $1.5 billion eaten up in a single year, and these numbers continue to climb. Is our system really equipped to deal with this situation?
“I find it ironic that we put so much money into dealing with the consequences of morbid obesity instead of treating the disease itself," continued Dr. Christou. For example, Quebec took considerable measures to guarantee hip replacements, whereas close to half of the candidates for this procedure are overweight. In six months or a year, the patient's prosthesis is already broken or destroyed, and the process has to start all over again.”
Gaining a centre of excellence to help people lose weight
It is not surprising that the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux (MSSS) of Quebec decided last May to start working on improving access to bariatric surgeries. It designated two centres of excellence in this field, one of which is the Lachine Campus of the McGill University Health Centre.
“We are very proud of this designation,” confirmed Jocelyne Faille, Executive Director of the Lachine Campus. “It reinforces the community vocation that has always underpinned our mission. Once our upgrades are complete, Dr. Christou and his colleagues will be able to take on three to six cases a week, or nearly three times as many as they currently manage at the Royal Victoria Hospital."
To achieve this goal, the Lachine Campus has major improvements ahead. Through the MUHC Redevelopment Project, its total area will be expanded by 30%. The Campus will also become equipped with individual rooms designed specifically for people who present with morbid obesity. A brand new, ultramodern operating room with sophisticated computer systems will be specially created for laparoscopic surgery, a procedure that helps considerably reduce the length of hospital stays. Ambulatory clinics will be created so that these patients can receive the best care both before and after surgery. Of course, a multidisciplinary team made up of surgeons, nurse clinicians, nutritionists, physiotherapists, kinesiologists, and psychologists will also be on hand to ensure patients get all possible benefits from the procedure.
“We are a world leader in bariatric surgery,” said the Hon. Dr. Arthur T. Porter, Director General and CEO of the McGill University Health Centre. "Dr. Christou and his team revolutionized this specialty, and thousands of people have trusted them with the hope of a better life. It is our duty to support these patients and improve their chances for better health in the years to come."
Work to achieve this goal is already underway, and the first bariatric surgeries will take place at Lachine in the coming months. Waiting less time to at last achieve health is a promise worth its weight in gold—just ask anyone who suffers from the multiple ailments caused by excess weight.
"We are very proud of this designation. It reinforces the community vocation that has always underpinned our mission. Once our upgrades are complete, Dr. Christou and his colleagues will be able to take on three to six cases a week, or nearly three times as many as they currently manage at the Royal Victoria Hospital."
Jocelyne Faille, Executive Director of the Lachine Campus.