Hospital renewal to meet changing needs

RE: NEW HOSPITAL IS WASTED MONEY (MARCH 10)

The author is correct that our population is growing and living longer, and our health system must keep up. We have engaged and listened to our community in planning for the future. Adding 400 new adult beds at Juravinski Hospital and Cancer Centre is where we propose to begin. This major redevelopment will demolish and replace the old wings at the Juravinski, some dating back to the 1930s, and also provide a new home for the programs and services provided at St. Peter’s Hospital.

We see this project, and the rebuilding of West Lincoln Memorial Hospital, as the first step in a multi-year transformation of our hospital sites and services, with an anticipated five-year start time pending funding and approvals. The rebuilding of the children’s and women’s hospital — with a start time of approximately 10 years — is proposed as step two, along with a redevelopment of Hamilton General Hospital that would add an additional 350 adult beds. Further, HHS is not moving our Hamiltonbased day surgery program to Grimsby. We are proposing to add new day surgery capacity in Grimsby, and will continue to operate our existing program in Hamilton. This should have a positive impact on wait times for everyone.

Our city is undergoing an exciting renaissance and this major renewal of our hospital sites will ensure we can meet the hospital care needs for people of all ages into the future.

Dr. Wes Stephen, Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President, Clinical Operations, Hamilton Health Sciences