(FIle photo/northeastNOW)

By Ben Tompkins

Local Health Funding

Humboldt District Health Complex receives $340k for nurse/patient call system

Feb 3, 2023 | 5:26 PM

The Humboldt District Hospital Foundation (HDHF) and the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) have partnered up to invest locally.

Each organization has decided to commit $170,000 ($340,000 in total) to fund a new nurse/patient call system at the Humboldt District Health Complex (HDHC).

This system will enable patients to alert a nurse or other healthcare team members if they need assistance.

Fundraising is underway and it is set to be implemented in the hospital, by the end of March, this year.

“This investment will enhance our ability to provide seamless, safe, high-quality care, as close to home as possible,” said Melanie Olynick, director of acute care, Integrated Rural Health South East, SHA. “By enhancing the call system, we will be better able to meet everyday health care demands and improve safety and quality of care for those accessing our services at Humboldt District Health Complex.”

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The new system will be expanded into areas of the facility that currently don’t have alert buttons.

The technology offered with the new system will allow patients to safely access the Humboldt Urban Garden Sanctuary (HUGS) and re-enter the Inpatients Wing.

This will eliminate the long walk for patients to re-enter the building.

This specific entrance will be equipped with 24-hour video surveillance and will use video for patient recognition for re-entry into the facility.

“The nurse call system is an imperative communication tool throughout our health care facility and is paramount in patient and staff safety,” said Aaron Behiel, chair, HDHF.

The Nurse Call System will allow patients to communicate with nursing staff from their beds.

It also plays an important role within the Emergency Preparedness Plan, including Codes Blue and White, and staff emergency, which are called over this system so healthcare staff in other areas of the facility can be alerted.

“The current system was good in its time, however, it’s not meeting the demands of today and into the future,” explained HDHF executive director, Lorrie Bunk. “It’s changed so much, our census is up, and we need to have a system to meet the demands.”

And with this being such a big investment for the HDHF, the SHA has given them a two-year bridge financing clause.

In the meantime, the HDHF will have to plan its fundraising efforts in a smart and timely fashion.

“We’re going to launch it at the end of March with one of the major fundraisers that we have and start talking to the public, and putting out a call to action,” added Bunko. “We have a plan and we’ll have to go strong, keeping in mind that there are other organizations out there that are fundraising as well.”

While this will be a tall task, the foundation knew it was one they needed to take on.

According to them, a lot of people rely on these services and they need to make sure it stays that way.

“The healthcare facility here is valued by everyone who lives in this district, people want to stay close to home and not have to travel,” Bunko said.

“We need to ensure that we can offer whatever we can offer from this health care facility… we know that when people are looking at relocating here, the first thing that they want to know about what we offer is health care services and the education system, so it’s very important for our economic growth as well.”

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Ben.Tompkins@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter @BenTompkins_8