ABOYNE – The Groves hospital planning teams continue to work with Ellis Don to finalize design details of each area in the new hospital.
Final design plans are currently under negotiation to ensure requirements are met, hospital officials report in a Jan. 22 press release.
The process to select equipment for the new hospital has begun.
Some existing equipment will move to the new hospital and other items, such as dishwashers or X-ray machines, will need to be purchased.
Some of the new equipment will arrive at the current hospital to allow staff time to learn and use the equipment, while other items will go straight to the new hospital, officials explained.
Evaluations are underway for new software and communication systems being proposed for the new hospital.
This includes mobile devices for staff, patient status-tracking, security and alarm, and building automation systems to manage energy efficiency and utilization.
“Construction at the site is on schedule and moving very well despite the cold weather,” officials state.
The second floor slab is being poured and the number of contractors working on site increases weekly.
Jack Coutts, manager of plant operations and maintenance at Groves, noted the new hospital is on schedule to be substantially completed 2019, with move-in 2020.
In the meantime, the current Groves hospital needs to continue to operate “by providing safe and quality health care to patients,” said Coutts.
Recent parking lot repairs and repaving “were necessary to eliminate tripping hazards from an aging parking lot and was paid for by the Ontario government’s Hospital Infrastructure Renewal Funding,” he explained.
“Currently, the Groves Hospital emergency department is renovating the triage desk to improve safety and security for staff working in this area.
“Renovations and repairs are necessary to ensure a safe environment for staff, patients and visitors.”
