Greater Sudbury's one-site hospital construction is finally underway.
It's been a long time in coming, but representatives from government, business, labour and the community were excited to break ground Friday morning for the Sudbury Regional Hospital one-site hospital.
All representatives who spoke mentioned the new site would be much more efficient and easier to operate than the three current sites.
The event marked the beginning of phase two construction. Over the next two and a half years, EllisDon Corporation, based in London, Ontario, will build and finance phase two of the hospital's redevelopment project.
Construction is expected to be completed in late 2009. There will be a new emergency department, 17 operating rooms, expanded intensive care unit, new dialysis stations and expanded cardiac services.
“This ground breaking celebration is all about efficiency. By combining services of three hospitals into one site it's all about a better delivery of health care services to the people of Greater Sudbury and beyond in Northeastern Ontario,” said Bartolucci.
“This consolidation of services into one site will make it easier for the administration of hospital services creating a better quality of health care for patients.”
Vicki Kaminski, CEO of the Sudbury Regional Hospital, agreed that the one-site hospital, once completed, will be more efficient in terms of management. Savings could equal $7 million per year she said.
“When we are all together there will be many benefits. We won't have to move patients around and are staff will not lose time traveling from one site to another,” she said.
“Doctors and administrators don't have to go out in the middle of the winter and lose time from having to warm up their cars. For patients, when you step into our new facility, all the services you require will be there in one place.”
Years of delays to the construction plans have been challenging for hospital staff and volunteers, said Kaminski.
“We have all tolerated these delays but I can say that we will be bringing all our people together, pooling their skills in one place and that is reason for this to be a celebration and not just an announcement,” she said.
“Instead of three hospital switchboards we will have one. Instead of three sets of security teams, we will have one. This will make it so much easier to manage and I estimate we will save $7 million per year.”
Gerry Lougheed Jr. complimented Kaminski and the Greater Sudbury community on persevering with the project.
“Vicki Kaminski had the passion it takes to see this through despite all the negative announcements we have faced. And this community, represented by Heart Soul, 500 volunteers strong, believed enough to get 50,000 donors to raise $50 million. Vicki and all of those involved in this project did it for the people they love who we know will need these hospital services at some point in their lives.”
Dr. Chris McKibbon, chief of staff for Sudbury Regional Hospital, said the one-site hospital will be more than bricks and mortar.
“This groundbreaking is a symbol of a commitment to a better future focused on growth in health care services. As doctors and health care professionals, we depend on each other,” he said.
“This project maximizes our ability to collaborate and it will enrich our professional and persona lives-that translates into real benefits for our patients. A person with diabetes may also have heart disease and when we are together we can care for that person in a more whole fashion-that is worth it.”
There are also economic benefits to Greater Sudbury.
“Most of the contractors and trades used in this project will be local-80 percent I estimate,” said Bruno Antidormi, engineer and senior vice-president of EllisDon.
“That translates into $75 million in labour wages and benefits out of a total of $140 million in labour costs.”
Mike Ryan, business manager of 800 members of the Labourers Union Local 493, said his members can't wait to get to work.
“Just from my own local I expect anywhere from 50 to 100 members will be working here at this site,” said Ryan.
“EllisDon, from our experience is one of the better companies to work for in Ontario. They have good worker management relations so we are keen.”
