Sask. children's hospital staff working through nearly 600 suggested changes
Officials at Saskatchewan's children's hospital say they're working through a list of nearly 600 recommended changes and will open as planned Sept. 29.
Doctors and staff identified 599 action items following tours of the Jim Pattison Children's Hospital, officials told reporters Friday morning.
"As new teams came through, more issues were identified. It's really important that we're hearing from all our stakeholders. We're under constant growth and continuous improvement as we move into the new project," said Carrie Dornstauder, provincial executive director of maternal and children's health.
Dornstauder said many of the changes can be made before the first patients arrive in less than 10 days. Others require more work, but they're prepared to have extra staff on hand until all changes are made, she said.
Interim provincial head of pediatrics Dr. Ron Siemens said it's "amazing" to see hundreds of people working on co-ordination of services and preparing for the move.
"I look forward to be able to help the children of Saskatchewan at 0600 hours on Sept 29," Siemens said.
Last week, child psychiatrists raised alarms, noting more than a dozen safety and potential suicide risks in the hospital's design.
Health authority officials met with the doctors a few days ago. Siemens, Dornstauder and Saskatchewan Health Authority vice-president Corey Miller told reporters they assured patients and parents they'll be safe when the doors open Sept. 29.
Dr. Jana Davidson, president of the Canadian Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, said everyone wants to keep children safe, so she's glad to see the problems being fixed. She applauded the psychiatrists for their advocacy and applauded officials for listening.
"It doesn't surprise me that the system is being responsive to concerns raised by psychiatric colleagues," she said.
Davidson said hospital design can have a big effect on mental health and safety, especially for children with psychiatric illness.
"Attending to their needs is an important part of what hospitals need to do to maintain safety," Davidson said.
