New Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital readies for 1st patients

The first patients are scheduled to move into the newly opened Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital (JPCH) in Saskatoon later this month.

Clinical teams have been training in their new areas since the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) took ownership of JPCH last spring.

Pediatric, maternal and emergency services will remain inside the Royal University Hospital (RUH) until the expected move next door to the new building on Sept. 29, according to SHA.

“The past months have been critical in giving us the time to make improvements in advance of opening,” Dr. Ron Siemens, SHA’s provincial head of pediatrics, said Friday in a statement.

“Now, as we get ready to actually move, we are asking for the public’s help in giving us the space and time we need on Sept. 29 to safely transport our patients between the two hospitals.”

Siemens added they are asking patients’ families to consider having only one or two support people present, if possible, during the move to minimize distractions.

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For the location of patients during Sept. 29, families can contact RUH at 306-655-1000.

Adult and children’s emergency services will open at the new hospital at 6 a.m. CT on Sept. 29. The decision to move from the current emergency areas at RUH will be made by each patient’s care team.

All remaining patient care areas will be moved during the morning of Sept. 29 and will continue throughout the day, SHA officials said.

The SHA is asking for the public’s co-operation during the move.

“Moving critical care, emergency and other hospital services is a very complex process,” Corey Miller, SHA’s vice-president of provincial programs, said in a press release.

“We need everyone involved in this move to be focused on our patients, and we will be supporting our teams in doing what is best to maintain safe care.”

WATCH (Sept. 5, 2019): Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital the result of decades of advocacy

1:53 Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital the result of decades of advocacy

As of 6 a.m. on Sept. 29, pregnant women who go into labour or require urgent care should come to JPCH and go to the maternal care centre on the third floor. There will be a drop-off zone in front of the main doors on the top deck of the parkade.

More information about the move can be found at SHA online.