Services to remain in community while facility upgrades to meet required safety standards are underway

Hamilton Health Sciences’ (HHS) Board of Directors has approved a plan to address unmet safety standards and maintain surgical services and obstetrical services with some limitations at our West Lincoln Memorial Hospital (WLMH) site until the facility is rebuilt.

The plan, developed by doctors and staff, involves renovating facilities to meet required standards for patient safety in the surgical and obstetrical areas at WLMH.

Work will begin in July with the temporary conversion of one of two operating rooms to a sterile surgical supply storage space. This renovation will take three days. The other operating room will continue to be used to accommodate planned surgeries, including scheduled caesarian sections. While there is only one operating room at the site, a low-risk obstetrical model will be implemented. A working group is presently working through the details of how this will occur.

Later this summer, the sterile supply storage space in the obstetrical area will also be renovated. This necessary renovation is anticipated to take several weeks. The service will return immediately after the work is complete. Details about the timing of this phase of work and service redirection are being worked through by our doctors and staff. Details will be shared once they have finalized a plan.

The emergency department and other services, including outpatient clinics, continue as normal.

HHS will continue to communicate extensively about what is happening at WLMH as this work proceeds.

QUOTES

“As board members, our first priority will always be the safety of our patients, staff and physicians. We are confident that the proposed plan to meet the required standards of care at WLMH is the best way forward in the short-term. In the long-term, we remain steadfastly committed to building a new WLMH that includes the services important to this community.”

Julia Kamula, Chair, HHS Board of Directors

“This is a safe, sound and reasonable plan which will allow us to protect our unique model of care. While we know there will be some service disruptions, it is the right thing to do until our new hospital is ready.”

Dr. Mat Noble Wohlgemut, WLMH Interim Medical Lead

“We know how important the surgical and obstetrical services are to the community, and that is why we looked at every option to maintain them at WLMH. The plan that we have recommended will protect these services while responsibly meeting the required standards for patient safety and quality of care until WLMH is rebuilt.”

Dr. Michael Stacey, Executive Vice President Academic and Chief Medical Executive

CONTACT: Lillian Badzioch, Senior Communications Specialist, Hamilton Health Sciences, 905-521-2100, extension 76090, cell 905-730-1836, badzioch@hhsc.ca.