Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) for eligible mental health patients will resume at Hotel Dieu Grace Healthcare at the end of the month.
The procedure, sometimes known as shock therapy, stopped being performed in the fall of last year due to staffing and scheduling issues.
But following a review of the full program, a consultant recommended some changes and to resume performing the treatment.
"It really validated the need to continue the service, to continue the service here at Hotel Dieu Grace with some support to acute care when they have clients or patients that can't be transported for services and gave us the green light to get back underway," says Hospital CEO Janice Kaffer.
Kaffer admits although there is a stigma with the procedure, it does help eligible patients with severe depression.
"There are some people that have a huge benefit and huge increase in improvement in their quality of life as a result of ECT services and honestly, it is not what it looks like on the old movies and TV and it isn't what people imagine it to be."
The treatment is performed by a psychiatrist and supported by an anesthesiologist, nurse and respiratory therapist in a specially built suite at the Prince Road campus.
Kaffer says the review of the program also found it was being under-referred for unknown reasons.
The procedure will resume May 29th.