New Beginning, New Roles
- August 2005
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New beginning, new roles with August 8th Transfer
August 8th 2005 marks both an ending and a new beginning for hospital care in Niagara. The August 8th governance and management transfer between the Niagara Health System (NHS) and Hotel Dieu Hospital enables Niagara's two public hospital organizations to realize their respective new roles - the Hotel Dieu as provider of complex continuing care services in St. Catharines and Thorold and specialized rehabilitation services for the region, and the NHS as the provider of acute in-patient and out-patient hospital services for the Niagara Region.
As of August 8th, 2005 Hotel Dieu assumes ownership and operations of Shaver Hospital and Niagara Rehabilitation Centre, while the NHS will take over ownership and operations of Hotel Dieu's Ontario Street Site. The next few months will see several hospital programs and services being moved in St. Catharines and dialysis services into Welland.
"In the few short years since the amalgamation of the NHS, the people of our Shaver Rehab Site have left an indelible mark across the Niagara Health System by setting an exceptional standard of excellence in complex continuing care and rehabilitation. We wish them continued success under the leadership of the Hotel Dieu Shaver Health and Rehabilitation Centre," says Mrs. Sevenpifer. "While we say goodbye on August 8th, at the same time we officially welcome the employees of the former Hotel Dieu from the 155 Ontario Street Site to our NHS family."
Through the next few months in-patient care and some out-patient services will be moved from the Ontario Street Site. "This is an important interim step as we continue to move forward with plans for the proposed new healthcare complex in west St. Catharines which includes an acute-care hospital, regional cancer centre, tertiary mental health beds and cardiac catheterization services. With these transfers, NHS will create for the short term a separate inpatient hospital and outpatient campus to serve St. Catharines, Thorold and surrounding area." said Debbie Sevenpifer, President and CEO of the NHS."
Expanded Services at St. Catharines General Site
On August 29, 2005 15 dialysis stations will move to the temporary Welland Dialysis Unit from the Ontario Street Site for outpatient treatment of Chronic Kidney Disease. This satellite service will provide care to residents of south Niagara, with the full complement of services continuing to be centered in St. Catharines. In late September, 15 Inpatient Nephrology Beds will be transferred from the Ontario Street Site to Welland.
Renovations at St. Catharines General Site have been completed for the transfer of staffing-patient services. Programs that are transferring to St. Catharines General Site from the Hotel Dieu Ontario Street Site are:
- September 17/18, 2005 - All Outpatient Oncology (cancer treatment) to a newly-renovated unit containing 21 chemo bays and satellite pharmacy;
- September 27, 2005 - Medical day stay, including blood transfusion service;
- October 3, 2005 - All Inpatient Surgery will begin to occur at the St. Catharines General Site in expanded OR suites, pre-op clinic and recovery area. This transition will take a week to complete;
- October 4/5, 2005 - Inpatient beds move, including Medical, Surgical and Intensive Care Unit, where dialysis capacity has been added;
- October 6, 2005 - St. Catharines General Site becomes the city's 24-hour Emergency Department, featuring a new waiting area and renovated triage plus a new treatment area with four additional bays. It is important to emphasize that the current ER at Hotel Dieu will remain open 24 hours a day until October 6;
As required - Flex bed unit available containing 18 inpatient beds for use during flu season or other peak demand times.
Ontario Street Site - As of August 8, 2005
At the Ontario Street Site (formerly known as Hotel Dieu), the transfer of inpatient and some out-patient programs will occur during September and October, A new service to the Ontario Street Site is the opening of a Prompt Care Centre, for patients with non-urgent medical needs.
Here are details of this and other services remaining at Ontario Street:
- October 6, 2005 - ER services at Ontario Street Site convert to a Prompt Care Centre, open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week;
- Outpatient services remaining include; Surgical Day Stay, Ophthalmology Clinic, Urology, Endoscopy;
- Associated Pre-admit/Pre-op Clinics;
- Dialysis Program including Hemodialysis, Peritoneal Dialysis, Pre-renal clinic;
- Radiology/Ultrasound, Pharmacy and Laboratory support;
- Addiction Programs, Autism Program, and Diabetes Education Centre.
Transferring Services to Welland Hospital Site
Planning for a permanent 24-station, $5-million satellite dialysis unit at Welland Hospital Site is currently underway, with a target of 2006-2007 to complete construction. The permanent stations involve the development of a ground-floor unit, which will be approximately 12,500 square feet and will allow for the future growth anticipated in this service based on population health statistics for the region.
Look for regular updates on our website and in the community, as the Niagara Health System moves forward with these exciting changes.