New Galway Chest Clinic Opens for Business
The new Galway Chest Clinic, a private respiratory care service, based at both the Galway Clinic and Bon Secours hospitals in Galway was officially launched this week.
The Galway Chest Clinic was established by Dr. Hilary McLoughlin to provide specialist care for patients with respiratory and general medical conditions. Dr. McLoughlin, a respiratory specialist and a 1993 UCG graduate, previously worked for six years as clinical lead for difficult asthma in Leeds.
Commenting at the launch held in the g hotel, Dr. McLoughlin said “I hope to work in partnership with GP practices to promote lung health and to keep respiratory patients well and at home in the community”.
“My aim is to provide a complete package of care for my patients, of a similar high standard to that provided by the HSE for patients, but without having to deal with budgetary constraints and appointment waiting times. Smoking cessation and pulmonary rehabilitation will be part of the services introduced by the Galway Chest Clinic in the next few months”.
The Galway Chest Clinic offers a range of specialist treatments for conditions including, asthma, lung cancer, sleep disorders, smoking disorders, lung fibrosis and general medical conditions.
Dr. McLoughlin also told the assembled audience of local GPs and health professionals that 56% of asthmatics suffered from uncontrolled asthma in Ireland. Dr. McLoughlin was keen to stress that the definition of uncontrolled asthma is the use of a reliever inhaler more than three times a week, or night time waking due to asthma symptoms once a week.
She also discussed the rising numbers of patients suffering from sleep disorders. Irish figures put the number of patients being treated for Sleep Apnoea at 7,500. European Union Medical Research data suggests that the true number of Irish sufferers may be closer to 100,000. Patients with sleep apnoea usually snore, and periodically stop breathing during sleep. This causes them to feel sleepy during the day because of a disrupted sleep pattern.
The Galway Chest Clinic provides access to a range of the best Consultants and diagnostics available in Ireland and so can provide an excellent standard of respiratory and medical care.
Dr McLoughlin hopes to have the pulmonary rehabilitation course up and running by April 2012
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