LITTLE CURRENT—The successful completion of a long and challenging journey toward a new modern emergency department at the Manitoulin Health Centre’s (MHC) Little Current site was celebrated with an official opening ceremony and ribbon cutting at the hospital on Thursday, June 15.
Chair of the hospital fundraising committee and member of the resource and strategic planning committees Angela Becks acted as Master of Ceremonies for the official opening and took those present on a short journey back in time to the 2010 start of the emergency department project.
“Better served patients—patients first,” was the vision that guided the process, noted Ms. Becks. She said that without targeted funding for the refit, the hospital staff, administration and board had to engage in “very concerted thought and planning” in order to find the funding for the project.
As a result of that effort, two things came into being, said Ms. Becks. First, the goal of planning the physical space that would meet the challenges presented by patient needs and second, a strategic plan embarked upon by the MHC board that was approved in January 2016.
“I am still getting used to public service,” joked MHC board chair Terry Olmstead. “I am still trying to make a profit.”
Mr. Olmstead acknowledged the work of former board member and chair Suzanne Norris “who got this going.” The chair also noted that the challenges faced by the staff during this process were considerable. “First we tore their house down, and then it was another eight months that they succeeded in making it through while doing a great job. To Lynn (Foster, vice president of corporate support) and her team—great job. The board is extremely pleased.”
Northeast Town Mayor Al MacNevin came to the podium joking that he had a lot of experience operating on a non-profit basis. “It is a privilege to be here,” he said. “We have always been very proud of the facilities we have here.” Mr. MacNevin congratulated the board and the staff in being able to bring the project to fruition despite the budgetary constraints that are all too familiar to public institutions.
Chief of Staff Dr. Stephen Cooper pondered his mixed emotions on the new facility, noting that there are many memories of challenges, victories and defeats that flood in when the door to the old emergency office (now a storage facility) is opened. “I can still feel the ghosts and the stories of patients who passed through those doors,” he said. “But we have a new room, trauma one and trauma two, a bright functional space. The tools you need are right at your fingertips. The space works and it is easy to connect to specialists in Sudbury—it’s a very modern emergency room.” Dr. Cooper said that he was leaving nostalgia behind, happy that there is a facility where patients can now get the best care possible. “Thank you to the board for having the courage and the vision to move forward.”
Dr. Simone Meikleham said that the construction crew should receive commendation for their consideration and care taken during the process to minimize their negative impacts of the construction on patients and staff. “Especially those times when they showed up in a construction hat when an umbrella might have been more appropriate.”
“This has been a dream for this facility for many years, long before I came here,” said MHC CEO Derek Graham. He noted the countless attempts over the last 11 years to secure funding. “For whatever reason, those attempts failed to hit the sweet spot,” he said. Mr. Graham recalled the board chairs that have helmed those efforts, including both the board of today and the board of years goneby. “We have been fortunate to have such wonderful leadership.” He listed the project starting with Ivan Edwards, through Karen King, Mike Shain, Suzanne Norris, Georgie Hari and now Terry Olmstead. “We have been very fortunate to have had good leadership and solid vision.”
Mr. Graham acknowledged the work of his two executive colleagues, Pat Morka, clinical team lead, and Lynn Foster for their invaluable work in bringing the project in on time and on budget.
“I have to admit this project has been a test of our mettle,” said Ms. Foster, who thanked the internal team and the outside consultants Deb Arbuckle and Ian Whittington for their efforts in the planning stage. Ms. Foster also gave a “very special thanks” to those who worked through the chaos of construction to serve MHC patients “under very trying circumstances.”
Following the speeches those assembled made their way from the board room down to the new emergency department to cut a ribbon and then returned for cake and refreshments back in the board room.
