Langley Memorial Hospital has, like all institutions, a culture and a sense of itself that shapes and is shaped by the people who pass through it, either as staff or patients. One part of Langley’s culture is a sense of getting the job done, even when faced with less than adequate resources and an aging infrastructure. So it is fitting, perhaps, that a common surgical condition which has been treated inadequately should find at Langley the commitment to turn this around and do the right thing, at the right time. Acute gallbladder inflammation, otherwise known as acute cholecystitis, has an interesting history of treatment, with the first operations dating to the late 19th century. In the later part of the 20th century prolonged hospitalization with antibiotic therapy became the norm. By the early part of the 21st century it became increasingly clear, through multiple scientific trials, that early surgery at time of admission was the best treatment. Early surgery is both better for the patient (less risk of complications, shortened hospital stay, earlier return back to work or normal life) and less expensive to the health care system — two facts that do not often go together. The surgeons and staff at Langley committed to doing the right thing by promoting a culture of early surgery for this common and painful surgical condition The results of that effort are summarized in this publication, and continue on as another part of the culture of Langley Memorial.
Helping us to help you.
Who isn't a fan of Jerry Maguire? Seriously though sometimes the best ideas come from our patients. It was one of our patients who alerted us to the Bascom Clinic in Eugene Oregon, and the amazing work that two generations of Bascom surgeons have done to radically alter and improve the treatment of pilonidal disease. As a result of this patient's story three Langley surgeons made a summer road trip to Eugene and spent time with Dr. Bascom himself, learning this technique. Read more about it in the section on pilonidal disease, here.
Endoscopic Electronic Medical Records
Langley Memorial Hospital occupies the "just right" zone of community hospital care: not too big to stifle innovation, and not too small to be overlooked when it comes to getting regional support. Our new electronic reporting system for endoscopy is an example of this. We are excited to bring this to our hospital and to enhance its implementation regionally and hopefully across the province. See the full story here.