Residents requiring treatments that require peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) insertion will no longer have to travel out of town.
"The ability to provide PICC insertion in Burns Lake will mean that residents requiring ongoing chemotherapy or longer term antibiotic therapy will no longer have to travel to Prince George, where this service is currently offered," explained Marie Hunter, Northern Health's health services administrator for the Lakes District area.
The Burns Lake and District Health Care Auxiliary has recently donated $50,000 to the Lakes District Hospital and Health Centre. The donation has allowed the hospital to purchase a PICC line placement tracker, which costs approximately $5000.
Hunter said the PICC not only eliminates the need for multiple intravenous therapy starts over the course of the therapy, but also allows for blood sampling and therefore eliminates the need for a "needle poke" for regular blood draws.
"This device not only eliminates the need for X-ray exposure, but also reduces patient wait time by timely booking for the initial insertion procedure," she said.
"Overall, this devise will save community members several hours of travel to undergo a 30-minute procedure," she added.