MONTREAL – It was a bitterly cold and windy Sunday, but that wasn’t enough to wipe the smiles off the faces of everyone involved in moving the Montreal Children’s Hospital to the new McGill University Health Centre (MUHC).
By 11:30 a.m., all 66 patients were moved to the new Glen Site – around two and a half hours ahead of schedule.
“We got a very small kid, that came in and when he saw the hoard of people welcoming him at the Glen Site, started smiling,” said Richard Fahey, MUHC Director of Public Affairs and Strategic Planning.
“That was a good moment this morning.”
It was a bittersweet farewell for the staff, patients and families, but everything ran smoothly according to Fahey.
“We’ve got 675 people on staff, both volunteers and MUHC staff that are ensuring the safe and efficient transfer of patients,” he said.
READ MORE: Moving the Children’s: A nurse’s walk down memory lane
It took 15 minutes to bring each patient from the old Children’s on Tupper street to the new site, with one patient arriving every three minutes.
Dr. Elene Khalil, an emergency physician at the Montreal Children’s said the move was generating a lot of excitement.
“A lot of adrenaline, that’s for sure,” she said.
“A lot of smiles and everybody’s very happy.”
As of 5 a.m. the emergency room was up and ready.
“We’re ready to receive any unstable patient, any patient in fact,” said Khalil
Fahey told reporters on site that because of the delicate nature of the move, only one parent was allowed to accompany their child in the ambulance – though they had to sit in front with the driver.
READ MORE: Moving the Children’s: One mother’s heartbreaking good-bye
In the most critical cases, only medical staff were allowed.
“They do take more time to prep, more equipment and these patients are travelling with a team so there’s more infrastructure, more support associated with those transfers.”
Each child was given a teddy bear to hold during the transit.
LIVE BLOG: Montreal Children’s Hospital moves to new Glen site Sunday
“As they’re rolling into the new hospital, we’re asking them ‘how are you feeling?'” said Patricia Gauthier, coordinator of the Children’s social services department.
“They were just very appreciative of all the tender loving care that was offered to all the patients and families.”
The Children’s first opened its doors in 1904.
It was originally called the Children’s Memorial Hospital, but changed its name in 1955.
rachel.lau@globalnews.ca
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