Children coming to Saskatoon’s Royal University Hospital (RUH) after midnight will now receive treatment from an on-site pediatric emergency physician.
The recruitment of the new doctor meant the early implementation of a 24-hour children’s emergency department prior to its relocation to the new children’s hospital, officials with the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) said.
RUH’s children’s emergency services will move next door to the Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital when it opens this fall.
A key milestone to the move was RUH operating its children’s emergency department 24 hours a day, seven days a week, according to the SHA.
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“Achieving this milestone of 24-hour care is simply allowing for enhanced access for children and families prior to the move to the Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital,” Corey Miller, vice-president of provincial programs for the health authority, said in a press release.
“(It’s) an opportunity for staff to adjust to new processes prior to the transition to the new hospital.”
Before the implementation, dedicated pediatric services at RUH operated from 8 a.m. to midnight. During off-hours, an emergency physician who specializes in family care saw children.
The number of pediatric registered nurses has also increased to support the specialized needs of children, health officials said.
WATCH (May 2, 2019): Construction complete on new Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital in Saskatoon
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