‘Lack of resources’ costs London its top heart doctor – The London Free Press

Dr. Bob Kiaii (Free Press file photo)

London has lost its top heart doctor, who charges London Health Sciences Centre no longer considers cardiac care a top priority as it makes cuts to reduce its deficit.

Bob Kiaii, former chief of cardiac care at LHSC and a pioneer in robotic-assisted cardiac surgery, has moved to Sacramento, Calif., where he is heading up the cardiac unit at the University of California.

It is critical, I think, for the public to understand the status of things in London, he said in a recent interview from California. I trained in London, I did my medical school there. It has been a huge part of my life.

Kiaii said leaving the city where he began his career 25 years ago was a tough decision, but he fears health care services here are being diminished in the current climate of restraint.

Facing provincial funding restraints, LHSC did not lobby for cardiac care. We were not given funding for the care we needed, he said. I was not capable of providing the best patient care.

Cardiac patient James Fuller, 78, and London Health Sciences Centre cardiac surgery chief Dr. Bob Kiaii celebrate a world first in cardiac surgery using robots in this October 2018 file photo.

Ontario hospitals have to put programs in priority order because of a lack of resources, he said, and he believes cardiac care has taken a back seat at LHSC.

In London, cardiac care is not the priority, Kiaii said. Due to cost constraints, they have to make decisions and cardiac care is not an area that has stayed state-of-the-art in its operation.

Among his concerns he cites:

Cardiac care has become less of a focus at LHSC, Kiaii said. I participated in provincial meetings and LHSC was not as well represented as Toronto hospitals. We serve all of Southwestern Ontario and did not have resources. That was not addressed (by LHSC in the meetings). It became more and more problematic for me.

LHSC issued an email response to Kiaiis concerns.

LHSC is proud of its cardiac care team and the compassionate, high-quality care provided to all patients. We wish Dr. Bob Kiaii all the best in his future endeavours read the statement from Adam Dukelow, LHSCs executive vice-president and chief medical officer.

Kiaii has featured prominently in hospital material promoting cardiac care at LHSC, and its foundation that raises funds. He was described as an internationally renowned surgeon who achieved several medical firsts.

The public should be concerned over the loss of Kiaii and the standard of care at LHSC, said Peter Bergmanis, co-chairperson of the Ontario Health Coalitions London chapter.

It is incredibly troubling. We are a research centre and tertiary-care centre in vascular research and a leading physician is seeking better places to work because of the situation here, he said.

A significant player in our health-care system has voted with his feet. He is frustrated. The LHSC is not the strongest advocate.

LHSC has a $24-million deficit and will lose 38 full-time equivalent nursing jobs to attrition and 11 more to layoff. It also has closed 11 surgical beds.

That belt-tightening has been felt in the area of heart surgery, Kiaii said.

When there was an opportunity for me elsewhere, it made me consider relocating. There was no suggestion from LHSC they would change things, he said.

LHSC is considered a top cardiac care hospital in Ontario, earning the title of tertiary care centre meaning it is where significant, complex cases are treated, Kiaii said.

LHSC has done more than 800 minimally invasive bypass surgeries since 1998, he said.

Kiaii is now at the University of California Davis Medical Center.

It is disappointing. I have cherished my time there. The people in London are amazing and talented. We did great work.

Kiaii grew up in Vancouver and graduated with a bachelor of science degree from the University of British Columbia. He went to medical school at Western University, followed by general surgery residency training at the University of Calgary and a cardiac surgery residency at Schulich school of medicine and dentistry at Western Univeristy.

Kiaii did a fellowship in cardiac transplantation at Schulich school of medicine and dentistry and a second fellowship at the Leipzig Heart Centre in minimally invasive and robotic cardiac surgery in Germany.

London was a place to do innovative work and think outside the box, he said.

Kiaii left London Nov. 25 and started work in California earlier this month.

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'Lack of resources' costs London its top heart doctor - The London Free Press