The new Lakes District Hospital and Health Centre in Burns Lake is scheduled to open early February 2015. According to Jonathon Dyck, spokesperson for Northern Health, the project is in fact six months ahead of schedule.
At this stage, new medical equipment - including a new X-ray machine - is being installed. Some of the medical equipment from the old hospital will be used at the new facility. The transfer of equipment from the old hospital to the new one will take place in February.
The Lakes District Hospital and Health Centre will have some new features including two different areas for registration. The lower-level will be the main registration area for the lab, X-ray, primary care programs, rehab, and conference rooms/administration. The upper-level registration area will be used for emergency patients and ambulatory care procedure patients.
In order to adapt to the all the changes of moving to a new facility, hospital staff will receive proper training. Dyck said the training is “currently underway” and will continue in the new year.
“Having a new facility means new work flows for staff, and it is important to ensure they [staff] are comfortable in their new space prior to moving in,” he said. “There has been extensive planning for the move to ensure a seamless transition.”
The new hospital will feature 16 beds, including 13 acute care beds, one isolation room, one palliative care room and one labour/delivery/recovery site. The new centre will provide acute care and emergency services, diagnostic imaging, a laboratory and pharmacy. Space also is planned for a medical clinic along with the delivery of mental health and addictions services, public health, and home and community care.
The old hospital will be demolished during the spring of 2015 and the space will be used for parking.
“We will have more details on the move in process in the new year,” said Dyck.