UPDATE - In February, a number of community partners and representatives from our Community Advisory Committee joined members of our Niagara Health team to exchange ideas and to provide feedback on the planning so far. They heard from experts in seniors’ care, the future of hospital design and wayfinding (features that help people navigate a building) which inspired all of the participants to think of new and innovative ways that care can be delivered in our communities. It was an educational day that left everyone feeling excited about what the next stages of project planning will involve.
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Niagara Health would like to thank the thousands of people who offered feedback during the initial redevelopment planning related to the Niagara Falls South Site hospital and the Welland Ambulatory & Urgent Care Site.
Community leaders, residents, patients, healthcare workers, physicians, and municipal partners were engaged in the planning so far, and we will continue to seek input as we move forward. On Wednesday, January 25,2017 the LHIN endorsed the first submission – Stage 1A – which is a first look at the programs and services that would be offered in Niagara Falls and Welland.
“We are very appreciative of the LHIN’s endorsement of Stage 1A,” says Niagara Health President Suzanne Johnston. “While this is just the first of many milestones required to move forward, it’s a significant step closer to achieving our vision of a healthier Niagara.”
In addition to planning new buildings, Niagara Health is also exploring new ways that healthcare services can be offered in the community such as in-home care, satellite clinics in shared spaces, and use of new technology. Such partnerships would go a long way to ensure every patient is receiving the care they need in the right place, at the right time.
Next steps are for the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care to review and provide feedback on Stages 1A & 1B, which describes anticipated space requirements for the programs and services outlined in Stage 1A.
Although the planning will be refined throughout the various stages, at the core of this work is to:
- integrate hospital and community care services for a seamless experience
- anticipate the need for growth in inpatient beds – projecting 100 new beds in 2023 (located in Niagara Falls and St. Catharines) and an additional 140 new inpatient beds in 2033 (majority located in Niagara Falls)
- seize the opportunity to take advantage of the latest medical and technological advances in healthcare
- continue to retain and recruit the best physicians and healthcare professionals
- enhance our infection prevention and control practices
- make better use of our limited resources by reducing duplication
- provide senior-friendly care in all aspects of the patient experience
Stage 1A includes the proposal for Centres of Excellence in stroke, eye care, seniors’ wellness, complex care and academic education to be located in Niagara Falls. The proposal also calls for urgent care, dialysis clinics, outpatient clinics for medical and surgical patients, diagnostic imaging, ultrasound and radiology, as well as a lab and other services in Welland. The programs and services plan will continue to be refined as we move through each stage of planning.
To receive project updates, please subscribe through our website. Questions and feedback can be emailed to healthierniagara@niagarahealth.on.ca.
