Saskatchewan’s First Maternal and Children’s Hospital Now Complete
Women and Children in Saskatchewan now have greater access to world-class pediatric and maternal health care.
The province’s first maternal and children’s hospital opened after great anticipation in the fall of 2019.
Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital Foundation and its many partners began a quest for a specialized facility tailored to caring for the unique needs of children and families over a decade ago.
“This place of hope and healing will support high quality health care for our province’s children and families,” said Premier Brad Wall.
“The new Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital will act as a centre of excellence for the care of our moms and children and provide dedicated physicians and staff processes specific to the unique needs of children,” said Corey Miller, vice-president of Provincial Programs at the Saskatchewan Health Authority. “The hospital’s design is focused on the needs of families, providing a child-friendly atmosphere and comfortable, private spaces for families to spend time together outside of patient rooms.”
The 176-bed hospital features private rooms with sleep space for parents or supportive partners as well as family-friendly spaces like an outdoor play area, teen lounge, playrooms, and a theatre with movies and events for young patients.
The state-of-the-art hospital houses the province’s only 24-hour pediatric emergency department with capacity to treat over 5,000 young patients each year. It is also be home to Saskatchewan’s first dedicated pediatric surgical suites. These integrated rooms will include both an operative area and induction room, allowing parents to be with their child while anesthesia is administered.
About 60 pediatric specialists, sub-specialists and surgeons have already been recruited. The Saskatchewan Health Authority plans to recruit another dozen full-time positions. Once opened, the hospital will be staffed with over 72 full-time physicians in more than 20 specialties.
“The new hospital will deliver a more patient-centric approach where services are organized around the patient, rather than children and their families having to navigate and search out these services,” said Dr. Laurentiu Givelichian, head of pediatrics, Saskatchewan Health Authority. “Physicians are extremely excited to be part of what we’ve built and the type of care we’ll deliver.”
Over the next few months, more than 77,000 pieces of equipment will be installed and tested. In addition to physicians, over 2,400 employees will be trained prior to the doors opening.
Fundraising for the new provincial hospital continues in earnest over the coming months, with $68 million raised to date with a goal of a minimum of $75 million.
“An incredible amount of work, fundraising and dedication has been accomplished to reach this milestone. The people of Saskatchewan deserve recognition for making this possible,” said Brynn Boback-Lane, President and CEO of Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital Foundation. “We are very proud to be part of such a monumental facility that will benefit Saskatchewan moms, children and families. It is a great day for maternal and pediatric healthcare in our province and this Foundation will continue to support Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital for the generations of families that will benefit from its care.”
More than 1.6 million hours of construction work went into building the new state-of-the-art facility. To help outfit and equip Saskatchewan’s new Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital, please donate at
www.wearesaskatchewan.ca
Source: www.pattisonchildrens.ca
