May 24, 2019
Premier Tours Nearly Complete $23.3-million Redevelopment of Dauphin Regional Health Centre's Emergency Department
– – –Newly Renovated Space is Three Times Larger Than Current Emergency Department: Pallister
DAUPHIN—A newly renovated and expanded emergency department at the Dauphin Regional Health Centre is three times larger than its current space and promises to improve patient flow when it opens this summer, Premier Brian Pallister announced here today following a tour of the site.
“Better health care mean putting patients first and we are continuing to clean up the mess the previous government left behind,” said Pallister. “This new, modern space will ensure patients can access the consistent and reliable care they need while offering hospital staff an improved facility that allows them to do their work efficiently and quickly.”
The Manitoba government invested $23.3 million to redevelop the emergency department, which is expected to open to patients this summer, the premier noted. The original emergency department was built in 1985 and last updated in 2001.
Work began in early 2017 to redevelop the new, 16,000-sq.-ft. emergency department in multiple phases. In the first phase of the project, the health centre’s existing emergency department was temporarily relocated within the building to allow for major renovations in the original space.
The current construction phase involved renovating the original location and adding a major addition to the building, resulting in a redeveloped emergency department that is three times larger. The redeveloped and expanded space includes:
• an updated resuscitation/trauma care room;
• enhanced treatment, exam and observation rooms, which will increase efficiency in patient flow and work flow within the emergency department;
• a decontamination room;
• a special care unit for extended emergency care of patients;
• support space;
• an enclosed ambulance garage which allows patients to be moved directly from an ambulance into the emergency department without going outside or through public waiting areas;
• a new main entry to the health centre including a driveway; and
• a new pedestrian access ramp at the back entrance of the facility.
The increased space and redesigned physical layout also incorporates several recommendations from the Brian Sinclair inquest report including improving patient access to triage, and providing direct access and visibility to the waiting room for triage nurses responsible for monitoring patients.
“The redevelopment of Dauphin Regional Health Centre helps better position the site to provide safe, quality emergency and critical care services, both now and into the future,” said Penny Gilson, chief executive officer of Prairie Mountain Health. “Once completed, patients and their families will have better access to emergency care and services and the staff, health-care providers and physicians will directly benefit from a better co-ordinated and more efficient space.”
Even though the new emergency department and special care unit will soon be operational, work will continue to demolish and reconstruct the front ramp area in early to mid-summer 2019, the premier said. It is expected this final phase of the project will be completed in November, he added.
At this time, the temporary entrance between the hospital and community health building will remain as the main point of entry and exit.
The renovation and expansion project is being completed by Horizon Builders Ltd. from Brandon.
The pending opening of the new emergency department is only the latest improvement made at the Dauphin Regional Health Centre. Last December, a new magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner began accepting patients, increasing access and reducing travel times for residents in Manitoba’s Parkland region who require the diagnostic service.
It also builds on other similar major infrastructure work at other health facilities throughout the province, such as last month’s opening of Flin Flon General Hospital’s new $27.1-million emergency department and the $43.8-million emergency department expansion of Winnipeg’s Grace Hospital last year.
“We are reshaping Manitoba’s health system so that it is more patient focused and efficient,” said Health, Seniors and Active Living Minister Cameron Friesen, who toured the facility with the premier. “The new emergency department at Dauphin Regional Health Centre will improve patient flow and ensure those who use it get better health care sooner.”
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