Hospital update
Dear Editor:
April was a month of renewal and fresh beginnings, and it was also the first month of Guelph General Hospital’s fiscal year – an annual new beginning of sorts for us.
As we continue to make improvements at the hospital to meet the growing and evolving health care needs of all of you in our community, we want to make sure you continue to receive regular updates on our progress.
As part of our Lab Medicine improvement project, laboratory automation is currently underway. This phase includes an upgrade to the lab’s mechanical systems to ensure consistent temperatures for sensitive equipment year-round. Additionally, equipment and services are being relocated to optimize space and improve efficiency in the blood bank area.
The next phase of the project will begin this summer, with full completion of construction by the end of the year. By this time next year, our lab will be fully automated so patients and staff alike can benefit from the digital pathology platform.
Automating many of the lab’s systems will ultimately lead to a better patient experience. It will provide faster and more consistent turnaround times for test results, reduce the number of times a patient gets “pricked,” and enable a greater volume of testing. It will also provide a more effective, safer and better work environment for staff. Donations to the Foundation of Guelph General Hospital were vital in supporting this transformative project.
As lab improvements continue through the summer, The Angel Gabriel Foundation Centre for Mental Health and Addictions is also scheduled to open on the first floor of the hospital, just off the main lobby. The new space will double our capacity to care for the people who need these services. In addition, a new group therapy space will be created to support our outpatient follow-up service.
Just a little over a year since breaking ground, progress continues with the rest of the Linamar Emergency Department as well. Work is presently underway to build a new mechanical room in the basement of the new addition. Once that is complete, the building above will be erected, and progress will happen more quickly over the coming months as we complete that space. A new emergency pedestal has also been installed in the patient drop-off area, entered from Delhi Street. This allows patients and visitors to connect directly with hospital staff for emergency assistance.
The full update can be found on the hospital’s website.
Mark Walton, President/CEO,
Guelph General Hospital