FSJ Hospital Foundation celebrates new diagnostic equipment purchase

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — The Fort St. John Hospital Foundation is celebrating the purchase of a specialized piece of respiratory diagnostic equipment.

According to an October 20th press release, the foundation announced the purchase of a body plethysmograph with the help of a grant from TB Vets.

A provincial charitable foundation, TB Vets was founded as an initiative to support and employ World War II veterans diagnosed with tuberculosis. It now provides financial and equipment support for healthcare professionals throughout B.C.

According to its website, the organization has provided $16 million in funding since 1946, and financially supports 20 ventilators across the province.

A body plethysmograph is a piece of medical testing equipment that is used to diagnose lung conditions by measuring lung capacity and airway resistance.

“This advanced diagnostic tool allows for detailed pulmonary function testing including spirometry, lung volumes, diffusion capacity and respiratory muscle strength,” the Fort St. John Hospital Foundation said in the release.

Prior to this purchase, patients in the region needing lung-related diagnoses needed to travel out of province to Alberta, or down to Prince George for testing, with wait times of up to a year.

“It’s not just about machines and data, it’s about people,” Fort St. John Hospital Executive Director Kelly Amboe said.

“It’s about making sure you or your loved ones can get the care you need without the added stress of travel or delay.”

The machine is expected to support approximately 2,300 patients a year.

“This is a significant advancement for respiratory care in our region,” Denise Mitchell, a registered respiratory therapist clinical team lead at the hospital, said.

“Having this level of diagnostic testing available locally means we can identify conditions earlier, tailor treatments more effectively and ultimately improve health outcomes for patients across the North Peace.”

The machine is being installed at the Fort St. John Hospital, and while an exact date is unknown at this time, the foundation anticipates the machine to be available for testing “soon.”