Pacemaker service available on Saba

The Daily Herald writes that Saba Health Care Foundation (SHCF) welcomed a new visiting specialist this week. Pacemaker technician Steven Alvarez from Boston Scientific is the latest addition to a long list of specialist visiting the island to provide specialty care locally, in his case, pacemaker service.

With the Zoom Latitude programming system, Alvarez can perform a check-up on implanted pacemakers without any invasive treatment. During his visits, Alvarez will check the functioning of the pacemakers and the lifespan of batteries, and makes adjustments to the settings of the pacemaker, if needed.

The initiative to invite a pacemaker technician to Saba comes from cardiologist Dr. Carlos van Leeuwen. He has been a visiting specialist for many years himself and together with SHCF Head Nurse Clinic Naomi Wilson arranged the logistics that led to this visit.

SHCF Director Dr. Joka Blaauboer welcomed the new service on island. “This is an improvement of our services to the community of Saba, especially for our patients who have a pacemaker. “We herewith improve the quality of care as it makes the whole process less stressful for our patients by not having to travel off-island and being away from home and family. Now our pacemaker patients can have their check-ups in our own medical centre and return to their daily life right away.”

The next visit of the pacemaker technician will be announced to his patients and publicly via the SHCF visiting-specialist schedule on facebook.com/Saba-HealthCare