Letterkenny Hospital introduces crucial new cardiac diagnostic service
‘Not having to travel all the way to Dublin for a scan saved me time, stress, and expense’
Letterkenny University Hospital says it’s pleased to announce that a new Computed Tomography Coronary Angiography (CTCA) service, led by a Consultant Cardiologist and his team, has been launched in the Radiology Department.
CTCA is performed to gain knowledge about cardiac or coronary anatomy and may detect or diagnose coronary artery disease in patients. CTCA is safe, accurate and better tolerated by the patient than a conventional catheter angiogram.
Before this service was introduced, patients from Donegal had to travel to a hospital in Dublin to have the imaging performed.
The service is now available in LUH, under the guidance of Consultant Cardiologist Dr. Manuel Ramos, a specialist in Cardiac Imaging. He is joined by the dedicated CT Clinical Specialist Radiographer, Teresa Kelly, and Clinical Nurse Specialist, Sreeji Kurup. Together, they form a Multi-Disciplinary Team within the Radiology Department, which also includes Consultant Radiologists, Radiographers, and Nursing Staff.
The team is committed to providing patients with the best care possible close to their home.
Seán Murphy, Hospital Manager, said: “The launch of the CTCA service at Letterkenny University Hospital marks a significant step forward in enhancing cardiac care for our community. This development means patients can now access advanced cardiac imaging locally, reducing the need for long-distance travel and enabling quicker diagnosis and treatment. I want to commend the dedication of Dr. Ramos and the entire multi-disciplinary team whose expertise and collaboration have made this vital service a reality.”
Susette Borland, who is a user of the service, said: “Having the CTCA service available here in Letterkenny has made a huge difference to me. Not having to travel all the way to Dublin for a scan saved me time, stress, and expense. The care I received from Dr. Ramos and the team was outstanding. They explained everything clearly and made me feel completely at ease. It’s a great relief knowing this kind of specialist service is now available locally."
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Rachel Boylan, Radiology Services Manager, said, “I would like to thank all our team members who have contributed to and supported the re-establishment of the CTCA service locally. This is a result of continuous effort, planning, and patience. This service development has been a vision for a considerable time, alongside others, we continue our aim to evolve and grow services within the Radiology Department. LUH is planning to develop further services in the Department of Radiology and earlier this year three Consultant Radiologists were appointed and joined the team.”
She added: “The Radiology Department is proud to re-establish the delivery of this important service. Patients will have access to care and imaging locally and no longer need to travel to Dublin. Having the service locally will ensure more timely access to imaging, resulting in improved patient outcomes and improved continuity of care combined with financial savings for both the patient and the hospital.”