Chatham-Kent Health Alliance Welcomes Urologist to the Community
CHATHAM-KENT: Tuesday, July 21, 2020 – Chatham-Kent Health Alliance (CKHA) is pleased to welcome Dr. Hamidreza Abdi, Urologist, to the organization and community. Dr. Abdi recently completed his Urology Residency training at the University of Ottawa and will begin practicing in CKHA’s new Urology service.
“Dr. Abdi is an excellent addition to CKHA’s roster and will assist us in meeting the needs of our community; reducing the need for patients to travel outside of Chatham-Kent for urological services,” said Dr. Pervez Faruqi, Chief of Staff, CKHA. “We are thankful for the support we received from the Urologists at Bluewater Health who have provided high quality care to our patients over the years and look forward to continuing our partnership with them.” He continued, “a team of dedicated staff and physicians, led by Dr. Elizabeth Haddad, have been instrumental in launching these new services at CKHA. I’d like to thank Dr. Haddad and her team for their hard work and dedication in ensuring high quality Urology services for our community.”
“I am so excited to start my practice as a Urologist in Chatham-Kent. When my family and I came to Chatham last year for a site visit and interview, it just took a couple of hours to convince ourselves that this would be the place to be for living and practicing medicine. We were amazed by the hospitality and kindness of the people in Chatham-Kent and the hospital staff,” said Dr. Abdi.
Urology is a part of health care that deals with diseases of the male and female urinary tract (kidney, ureters, bladder, prostate and urethra). Urology is known as a surgical specialty. Examples of conditions that will be treated at CKHA include prostate gland enlargement, kidney stones, prostatitis, urinary tract infections, sexual dysfunction, infertility, bladder prolapse, urinary incontinence and cancers of the bladder, kidneys, penis, testicles, and adrenal and prostate glands. During consultation with the community, a gap was identified for these services in Chatham-Kent. CKHA committed to filling this service gap through its latest Strategic Plan and is now delivering on its commitment of new Urology services. Construction has begun to accommodate Urology and other surgical procedures in a new state of the art Operating Room Theatre. It is expected that this will be completed by October 2020. Additionally, ambulatory Urology clinics will be held at both of CKHA’s sites once Dr. Abdi’s practice is established. This service delivery is in line with the organization’s Mission: One Team – Two Sites: Serving Chatham & Rural Kent.
“We are thrilled Dr. Abdi has chosen to practice at CKHA and provide comprehensive Urology services for our patients and families,” said Lori Marshall, President and CEO. “His medical expertise and compassionate approach to care coupled with our renovated Operating Room and updated equipment will ensure access to a variety of urological services for our community.”
Dr. Abdi and his family are looking forward to settling into the community and getting to know the residents of Chatham-Kent, while enjoying the warmer climate and area’s natural amenities.
“I have practiced Urology in other places inside and outside Canada, and I would love to use my experience to help the great people of the Chatham-Kent area. My wife is going to start her training in Family Medicine in London, and she would love to practice in Chatham in two years. I believe apart from spending time with the lovely people of Chatham-Kent, our family will definitely enjoy living in beautiful sceneries and of course warmer weather compared to Ottawa, where we are coming from,” said Dr. Abdi.
Dr. Abdi is a passionate advocate for improving men’s health and raising awareness about prevention through lifestyle changes.
“Globally, men die on average five to six years earlier than women, and for reasons that are largely preventable. We as Canadian citizens believe that we are a pretty healthy nation; however, Canadian guys aren’t as healthy as they thought and it’s not because of genetics; it’s a result of habits and lifestyle. The statistics around men’s health in Canada are somehow alarming; men are 40 per cent more likely to die from cancer in general, 70 per cent more likely to die from heart related disease and live an average of almost nine years of their lives in extremely poor health. Most of men’s health problems can be prevented by adopting simple lifestyles changes,” said Dr. Abdi. He continued, “We can all take action to live healthier, happier and longer. Everyone can take small steps for themselves, their loved ones and their community. Even if you are not expert in health care, you can help professionals by donating money to buy appropriate equipment for diagnosis, prevention, monitoring, and treatment of men’s diseases.”
“I am also very much looking forward to working with the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance Foundation. Donor support is absolutely critical to our hospital and I know that the Chatham-Kent community has stepped up time and again for excellence in health care right here in the region, including for our new Urology service. Thank you for your continued support,” said Dr. Abdi.
In support of CKHA’s new Urology service, Chatham-Kent Health Alliance Foundation has launched its second 50/50 Igniting Healthcare FUNdraiser.
“We are absolutely delighted to welcome Dr. Abdi to the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance family and to lead our new Urology service,” said Mary Lou Crowley, President and CEO of the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance Foundation. “Our ignite5050 fundraiser is off to a great start with proceeds to help purchase a new C-Arm, which is a critical piece of equipment for Dr. Abdi and this new Urology service.” Tickets can be purchased online at www.ignite5050.ca.
Patients who require a referral for Urology services should speak to their Primary Care Provider. For inquiries about CKHA’s Urology program, Dr. Abdi’s office can be reached at 519.352.6401 extension 5770.
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About CKHA
Chatham-Kent Health Alliance (CKHA) is a 200 bed community hospital, serving the residents of Chatham and rural Kent including Walpole Island and Delaware First Nations. Formed in 2018, CKHA is committed to delivering quality and safe care at its two sites in Chatham and Wallaceburg. CKHA collaborates with other partners to deliver care across its community. CKHA’s dedicated team is comprised of approximately 1,400 staff, 200 physicians and 300 volunteers. CKHA provides a full range of programs, services and specialties from internal medicine and surgery to women & children’s and critical care; it is designated a schedule one facility under the Ministry of Health and cares for tens of thousands of inpatients, outpatients and emergency patients annually. CKHA is equipped with state of the art diagnostics and technology to support its varied programs. CKHA’s vision: Together, growing a healthier community, underscores a movement to improving the population’s health. Grounded by its values “CKHA CARES” (Collaboration, Accountability, Respect, Excellence, Safety), CKHA commits to continuously improve the patient experience in partnership with patients, families and caregivers. For more information, click here to read CKHA’s Fast Facts.
For more information please contact:
Fannie Vavoulis, Director Communications, Lead Physician Recruiter
Chatham-Kent Health Alliance
519.352.6401 x 6143
