VESIA [ ALBERTA BLADDER CENTRE ] - Calgary

Several important observations drove us to establish Vesia:

1. A common health concern in our population

   Bladder, prostate, and pelvic floor problems are some of the most common health concerns in our population, and many of these become more common as we grow older. With the population aging, it is clear that we are really just at the “tip of the iceberg” in terms of how important these problems are to our society and our health care system.

2. Conditions have a great impact on quality of life.

   These conditions impact patients’ quality of life. While these health conditions are not “life-threatening”, they are “quality of life-threatening”: Many patients with significant urinary and pelvic floor problems are not able to lead full and productive lives.

3. Patients are not seeking help for their condition.

   Many patients will unfortunately not seek help for their condition, often out of embarrassment, fear, or incorrectly assuming that it is a normal part of aging. Some people have also heard about negative experiences of friends or family that dissuade them from getting help.

With all of this in mind, the team at Vesia set out to establish a multi-disciplinary clinic staffed by passionate like-minded individuals dedicated to improving care in these areas. It was clear that in doing this, we would require to not only serve our individual patients better, but to support the general population and the broader medical community and system at the same time. Our goal of improving the lives of patients living with lower urinary tract and pelvic floor dysfunction could only be realised if we could achieve success in each of the following areas:

1. Awareness and education

   Efforts will be made to improve awareness and education of lower urinary tract and pelvic floor conditions in the general population and the general medical community. We will strive to provide an inviting and comfortable atmosphere where patients can seek help. We will support the medical community at all levels to provide effective care for these patients at home and in health care facilities and offices.

2. Enhanced health care delivery

   We will employ innovative models of multidisciplinary and collaborative care to better serve our patients. These will enhance access to and timeliness of care, and hopefully reduce morbidity between visits and dependency on other acute care facilities like emergency rooms. We will adhere strictly to the principles of patient-centered care and shared decision-making. We will strive to develop and integrate information technology in a meaningful and effective manner to assist our efforts.

3. Improved patient care

   Success in the above areas will inherently improve patient care. Further improvement will come from continuous education and collaboration within the clinic and operating room, the development and refinement of multidisciplinary care pathways, clinical research, and sustainable growth to meet demand.