Hospital expansion made official with grand opening ceremony

By Gillian Slade on July 26, 2018.

gslade@medicinehatnews.com  @MHNGillianSlade

It was a long time coming but there was plenty to celebrate at the grand opening of the new wing at Medicine Hat Regional Hospital with Premier Rachel Notley and Health Minister Sarah Hoffman in attendance.

The new Ambulatory Care wing is an example of investing in services that people use every day. It has been built to serve the community into the future, said Notley.

“Great hospitals matter … making life better for the people of Medicine Hat,” said Notley. For Medicine Hat it is “success for daring to dream.”

Construction is an especially difficult process and especially so when taking place where you work and are continuing to provide patient care, said Hoffman. Medical care and treatments also change significantly over time and there is a constant quest to meet those needs and standards.

She said the commitment to patient care, including outpatient services — a big part of the ambulatory care wing — helps to provide the right care in the right place and time.

Medicine Hat’s MLA Bob Wanner emceed the opening. He paid tribute to all those who were involved in the hard work in achieving the new wing.

A range of departments began operating in the new wing from last fall. These include the renal department, the outpatient family maternity clinic, the cancer clinic, day medicine, the laboratory, procedure rooms, six operating rooms, maternity delivery suites and 10 NICU suites. A trauma service elevator with access to the helipad on the roof has easy access to the emergency department without going through public areas of the hospital.

The new wing was never designed to provide additional hospital beds but rather improve facilities to provide better patient care that does not require being admitted to hospital.

Sept. 15, 2011, then premier Ed Stelmach was on site for a sod-turning ceremony to mark the launch of the project. His successor, Alison Redford, announced in October 2012 the government’s approval for the project, unveiling the first blue prints.

Cypress-Medicine Hat MLA Drew Barnes was at the event that day.

“It’s been a long time but this is a day to celebrate what we have,” said Barnes.

The first major sign of work taking place was on June 2, 2012 when demolition of the old auxiliary hospital began.

The project was initially expected to be complete by July 2016. The six-storey addition, 23,200 square-metres, was originally budgeted to cost $220 million, then adjusted to $265 million.

Mayor Ted Clugston feels a unique attachment to the hospital with a plaque of his late father (a physician) on the wall. There has been a change in government since the project was first announced and there have been a number of premiers but “it is nice to finally get it open”, said Clugston. “It was a lot of money but a beautiful building.”

Ken Sauer remembers the days even before there was a government commitment to build the extension.

“This is really a magnificent addition and very functional,” said Sauer.

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