Patients and staff will benefit tremendously from a newly-completed and larger, upgraded emergency department at the Stettler Hospital and Care Centre.
Renovations run the gamut from a new, larger space for improved patient flow, a more secure and safe department for patients and staff, a two-stretcher trauma room and a new entrance to the ER to an upgraded cardiac monitoring system, upgraded patient lifts, improved lighting, a private physician consultation area plus more stretcher and treatment chairs.
“It really is a special day. The enhancements that have been made through the collaborative efforts of AHS, the provincial government, and the (Stettler) Health Foundation are truly something to be celebrated,” said Nate Horner, MLA for Drumheller-Stettler, adding that the upgraded ER area will officially open Monday.
The Stettler hospital serves a large area with more than 16,000 visits made to the emergency department annually, he said.
“This has been a long journey,” said Sean Nolls, Mayor of Stettler. “Everyone has done a lot of work. And to be here today, knowing that we only have one more phase, is really amazing.
“To have this upgraded facility means a lot to us and to the residents of the Town and the County. I’m proud to be part of a community that has a place like this – and just one more phase to go which I’m also really excited about. I’m happy to be here.”
The ER renovations are part of a multi-year, $9.3 million renovation project which is drawing to a close at the Stettler hospital by early next year.
The Stettler Health Services Foundation, which works with the community to make decisions about how best to allocate health-related donations, raised $650,000 to support all phases of the renovation project.
These renovations were part of the third phase of a renovation project that began in 2019.
The first phase included the building of a new pharmacy and gift shop and modified the cafeteria. The next phase included a Labour and Delivery reconfiguration, which enables mothers and their partners to stay in the same space for labour, delivery and postpartum care for the duration of their stay, with more privacy and comfort.
“These improvements to the emergency department will improve the quality of care for people in and around Stettler,” says Tyler Shandro, Minister of Health.
“The Alberta government’s commitment to projects like these ensures those who need emergency services receive the best care possible, in a modern space that keeps them healthy and safe. The support of the Stettler Health Services Foundation is a reminder that this hospital truly belongs to the people of Stettler. We’ll keep working with AHS and communities across Alberta to deliver on our promise to strengthen our publicly funded health system across this province.”
– With files from Byron Hackett