The Winnipeg Regional Health Authority has persuaded two pediatric heart specialists to move to Manitoba from London, Ont.
Manitoba was already down one specialist when the WRHA learned last summer that another was set to leave, said spokeswoman Heidi Graham, so the authority launched a North America-wide search for replacements.
"We did then become more aggressive in our recruitment efforts," she said.
Graham wouldn't discuss how much money was offered, but said the province's strong cardiac program helped attract them.
"We do have a very solid cardiology program here in Winnipeg in pediatrics," she said.
"We were the first jurisdiction to do ECMO transports, and just recently our team, as well, implanted the first dissolvable plugs in two pediatric cardiac patients — so it is a very strong program here, with a very strong university component, as well."
ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) is a lung/heart bypass device used to support severe heart or lung failure; Winnipeg doctors have used the setup several times this year to save the lives of babies and children.
When the doctors arrive in July, they will bring Manitoba's total number of pediatric heart specialists back to three, considered a full complement.
The doctors' departure reportedly leaves the area around London, home to about nearly 500,000 children, without a specialist, but Graham said that must be put into perspective.
"Ontario, I believe, actually has quite a number of pediatric cardiologists," she said. "Winnipeg serves all of Manitoba."
The three doctors serve a catchment area of 1.2 million people, including Manitoba, northwestern Ontario and Nunavut.
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