The Lacombe Hospital and Care Centre now offers a much-improved emergency department.
The facility, which will open to the public Sept. 3, features a revamped design that improves patient care and the workflow of emergency room staff.
The $3.1-million facility was jointly funded by Alberta Health Services and the Lacombe Health Trust, which raised $1.3 million through donations and charity events, such as its annual golf tournament.
Lacombe Health Trust chairman Jim Dixon said the project has been in the works for a decade, with serious negotiations beginning in the past five years.
The need for improvements was identified in 2013, and Dixon said the generosity of many in the community helped AHS and the trust address the need.
“We have very generous people here,” he said.
The hospital serves more than 25,000 people in the Lacombe region — with 25,000 patients coming into the hospital each year. Dixon said the new emergency department will greatly improve the delivery of care.
Kimberly Sommerville, AHS’s area manager for Lacombe and Bentley, said the hospital enhancements will improve patients care and safety for both patients and staff.
Sommerville was thankful to her staff for helping collaborate on the modifications.
“They were integral to the design of this space,” she said.
“Our staff is excited to be in the new space. We have been providing continued emergency room support for the community in a temporary location.
“Being able to give them this optimal space is exciting.”
todd.vaughan@lacombeexpress.com
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