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St. Francis Memorial Hospital

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St. Francis Memorial Hospital ED Redevelopment moves to next step

St. Francis Memorial Hospital (SFMH) is excited to share that it has received official approval of its Emergency Department (ED) Redevelopment Project Stage 2.1 & 2.2 submission from the Ministry of Health.  The approval means the schematics (sketch and block plans and design) are confirmed and we move on to the next stage, where the engineers draw up the specifics of the construction drawing.

“We’re very pleased to receive this approval and be able to move forward with the next step in planning our new and improved emergency department. This redevelopment will support the continued delivery of high-quality, patient-centred care that we are proud to provide to residents of our community,” stated Kevin Quade, Chair, SFMH Board of Directors.

The SFMH emergency department currently sees more than 11,000 patients per year.  It is a critical resource for the community.  The ambulatory care space, which will also be renovated, will ensure the hospital continues to provide the highest standard of outpatient care to our patients.

The renovation project will increase the physical footprint by over 5,500 square feet, as well as upgrade and renovate the existing space to current standards for patient care, infection control, privacy/confidentiality, and occupational health, among others.   The new ED will also meet the latest standards, learning from the Covid pandemic.

“Patients, families, as well as the front-line doctors and nurses will appreciate the improvements in privacy, accessibility, infection control, and communications.  Our clinical team has been involved in the planning and design throughout this process and are excited to move closer to the beginning of the construction” noted Dr. Jason Malinowski, SFMH Chief of Staff.

SFMH is now set to proceed to Stage 2.3 of the approval process (Contract Documents).  This next step will lay the framework upon which tender documents will be based.

Julia Boudreau, SFMH CEO thanked the Ministry of Health and Ontario Health East Region for their support for the project, as well as the staff, physicians and Patient and Family Advisory Council (PFAC) members who have been involved in the planning so far.

“The redevelopment of our ED will ensure safe and efficient emergency care for residents of Barry’s Bay and surrounding area for years to come.” stated Boudreau.

 

St. Francis Memorial Hospital (SFMH) is a 20-bed community hospital located in the village of Barry’s Bay. It serves a catchment of approximately 10,000 population dispersed over a large geographic area.

The 1,800 sq. kilometers area includes: Renfrew County, a portion of South Algonquin Township in the District of Nipissing and Algonquin Park, Hwy 60 main corridor.  SFMH's mission is "To provide high quality, patient centred healthcare in collaboration with our partners." and is commited to performance. 

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VISION:  “A Hospital Solution – A Community Solution”: A community healthcare hub that integrates all services that will not only address the unique community needs but also increase the essential critical mass and improve efficiencies in order to respond to current economic realities.

SFMH is built on foundation of Integration success: SFMH is continuously seeking strategic partnerships and solutions that will improve the organization’s efficiency and patient care across the system. In 2012, SFMH received the Small, Rural and Northern Award of Excellence recognizing its innovative leadership in establishing partnerships to expand and improve health services in the Madawaska Valley.

The governance practices and leadership exemplified by SFMH Board were instrumental in achieving integration success and effective partnerships. Key achievements are outlined below.

PARTNERSHIPS

Renfrew Victoria Hospital (RVH)
SFMH Board established a voluntary partnership with RVH more than a decade ago. Trust, respect and effective governance as well as collaboration between the boards and the CEO are the basis for the tremendous and ongoing success of this partnership.

Outcomes & Impact on patients: Improved access for some 3,700 patients and 1200 Ontario Breast Screening Program clients to receive services locally through clinics integrated with SFMH who would otherwise need to travel to Renfrew (1 hr)  and Ottawa (2.5 hrs)

Eastern Ontario Regional Laboratory Association (EORLA) – SFMH is part of a partnership of 16 hospitals that creates the LHIN-wide integrated and standardized laboratory services. Over 12 million tests are performed annually.

Outcome/Impact: Patients benefit from enhanced quality care through improved standardization delivered seamlessly across the entire region. EORLA enables Laboratory Medicine to operate as a core business, so that decisions and resource allocations can be made in the interest of providing best-in-class Pathology and Laboratory Medicine operations.  Savings achieved from operational improvements will be re-invested in laboratory staff and leading- edge technologies.

The Ottawa Hospital
SFMH and RVH have entered into a partnership with the current 56 radiologists in the Department of Diagnostic Imaging at The Ottawa Hospital (Ottawa Hospital and Region Imaging Associates (OHRIA)). Outcome/Impact: Patients are benefiting from enhanced quality care and response time.

Private Physiotherapy Clinic – Due to the lack and need of physiotherapy services locally, the SFMH created a partnership with a Physiotherapy company and renovated space in its Health Center for a new clinic. Outcome/Impact: Improved access to services, reduced travel for our clients and increased revenue stream for SFMH.