Our Cardiac Device Clinic is now open at Markham Stouffville Hospital, marking another significant step in Oak Valley Health’s vision to provide high-quality, integrated care.

Now accepting patient referrals, the clinic enhances local access to specialized cardiology services — bringing care closer to home for patients in the community. A range of services include pacemaker analysis assessments, monitoring, patient education, and maintenance.

The clinic is currently caring for patients with single- and dual-chamber pacemakers, with plans to expand and accommodate more advanced devices as demand grows.

The clinic is staffed with skilled cardiology technologists and cardiac device specialists, including Cardiologist and Electrophysiologist Dr. Douglas Wan, who shares, “the clinic offers patients the convenience of receiving specialized care closer to home, significantly reducing travel time. In addition to managing chronic conditions, the clinic also provides timely follow-up and acute care when needed. With access to patients’ historical health data, the clinic supports both immediate and long-term cardiac care, ensuring continuity and a more comprehensive approach to patient management.”

Regular follow-up appointments will ensure ongoing monitoring and maintenance, and may involve checking device settings and battery life, evaluating changes in a patient’s health that could be impacted by device function, and adjusting the device to better suit individual needs.

Aligning with Ontario Health’s regional cardiac care framework, the clinic addresses the growing need for cardiac services in the region. The volume of cardiac patients at Markham Stouffville Hospital has risen by 32 per cent since 2019, and projections indicate that the hospital could serve a population close to 500,000 by 2030.

Oak Valley Health is currently working towards a Level 5 Cardiac Program status, starting with a collaboration with Unity Health Toronto’s St. Michael’s Hospital to enhance overall access and open new pathways to timely complex cardiac care. Plans also include advancing Markham Stouffville Hospital’s Level 2 Enhanced Cardiac Care Unit.

“With community and academic hospitals across the GTA, our partnerships and collaborations ensure a smooth transition for patients moving from another hospital to our care. From the patient’s perspective, this provides peace of mind — knowing that their care is not disrupted and that communication between hospitals remains seamless,” says Dr. Wan.

“We are growing our cardiac services to deliver comprehensive, integrated, and first-class care close to home. Health care that is increasingly patient-centred, is our top priority, and through expanding care and resources, and strengthening our partnerships we aim to broaden access to care for healthier communities today and generations to come,” says Carnett Howell-Belle, Patient Care Director, Acute Medicine, Oak Valley Health.

For more information, including clinic referral criteria, visit our Cardiac Device Clinic page.

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This article appeared in the May 2025 issue of The Link. To receive Oak Valley Health’s community newsletter, subscribe now.