One of the biggest pieces of the South Shore Regional Hospital redevelopment opens to patients Wednesday morning.
The hospital’s new emergency department will begin seeing patients at 6 a.m. Wednesday.
Anyone needing emergency care after that time will use the new East Entrance, a short distance from the old emergency department entrance.
The old ER will close when the new one opens.
Premier Tim Houston toured the new space Tuesday and called the opening an important milestone for the South Shore.
“It’s really access to care closer to home, modern facilities, good for healthcare professionals, good for patients and their families,” Houston said.
The emergency department is part of a broader redevelopment that also includes a new renal dialysis unit, upgraded endoscopy space and the hospital’s first MRI suite, which opened earlier this year.
The dialysis unit and new endoscopy space are expected to open later this month.
Nova Scotia Health CEO Dr. Nicole Boutilier said hospital staff have spent considerable time preparing for the transition.
“It is so exciting to finally be ready to move in and start providing care to patients in these new spaces,” Boutilier said. “Staff, physicians and teams have done plenty of planning and preparation in order to safely transition into their new work areas in a way that will minimize disruption for patients and families.”
Premier Tim Houston tours the newly redeveloped emergency department at South Shore Regional Hospital in Bridgewater. PHOTO: EVAN TAYLOR/ACADIA NEWS
The project also received significant community support through the South Shore Health Foundation.
The foundation says its Brighter Days campaign raised more than $10.8 million toward the redevelopment.
“Today marks an exciting milestone for healthcare on the South Shore,” foundation CEO Arleen Stevens said.
“Through our Brighter Days campaign, our community came together to raise more than $10.8 million in support of this redevelopment, and it is incredibly rewarding to see that generosity become a reality for patients, families and healthcare teams.”
Houston also credited the foundation and hospital auxiliary for helping make the project possible.
“The foundation, the auxiliary raised $10.8 million towards this project, so that makes a difference,” he said. “But it’s a good day for the area.”
Work at the hospital is not finished.
Nova Scotia Health says construction and renovations will continue as former hospital spaces are repurposed following the phased opening.
Evan Taylor is a 2018 graduate of the journalism program at Fanshawe College. He is based in Bridgewater and covers stories across the South Shore and Nova Scotia. Contact Evan at taylore@radioabl.ca.