Chinook Regional Hospital showcases new expansion to Health Minister

WATCH ABOVE: During the provincial election campaign Premier Rachel Notley pointed to deficiencies at both Chinook Regional Hospital and Saint Michael’s health centre. Now that the NDP is in power what plans do they have to address the issue? Matt Battochio reports.

During the lead up to the provincial election, now-Premier Rachel Notley pointed to deficiencies in Alberta’s health care infrastructure.  The NDP released a list of 37 incomplete projects at Lethbridge’s Chinook Regional Hospital, saying the PC government was neglecting the projects.

However, if the NDP wants to make good on its promise to improve health care infrastructure, a lot of that work will fall on Health Minister Sarah Hoffman.  On Wednesday, Hoffman continued her tour of local health care facilities – visiting the Chinook Regional Hospital’s newest expansion, the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

“It was a great opportunity today to see some of the construction happening here,” said Hoffman.

“They’re all private rooms.  From a prevention and control perspective, that will be very nice for care,” said Senior Operating Officer for the Acute Care West South Zone, Teri Myhre. “Also for confidentiality and family centered care, it will be really nice to have individual rooms for our patients.”

Without getting into specifics, Hoffman says she hopes to address some of the unfinished projects when the next budget is set.

“After this, I go back and debrief and we have a discussion of areas that we might be able to focus some of our efforts on,” said Hoffman. “Also discuss what’s happening really well, and I want to say, there’s a lot of stuff happening really well here at the hospital.”

For any hospital the chance to have a Health Minister see first-hand what its needs are is beneficial.  Although there are always needs, local officials believe Chinook Regional Hospital has been getting sufficient backing.

“We’ve, over the years, had good support to be able to do infrastructure changes and expansions,” said Myhre. “I think as a community perspective, this facility is well equipped and supported.”