Two significant capital projects continue to advance at the Kincardine hospital, including the construction of a 2,000 square foot addition to house a new Computed Tomography (CT) scanner, along with a 34,000 square foot expansion and modernization of the hospital’s Emergency Department, Diagnostic Imaging, Laboratory, Decontamination room, Lobby, and Back of House (loading/unloading).
Construction of the new CT scanner suite is nearing completion, and the new service is expected to be fully operational by March 2023.
The Siemens “X.Cite” CT scanner will be installed in Kincardine, which is the most advanced single source, dual energy CT scanner with both twin beam and spiral dual energy modes. The X.Cite model features artificial intelligence that automatically positions the scanner to improve image quality and reduce radiation dose, “Zero Click” post processing that decreases staff time required to process data after exam and improves workflows, and a larger bore that increases the patient types/sizes that can be scanned.
Construction of the addition began in May 2022 and is scheduled to be complete in midFebruary 2023. The new CT scanner is expected to arrive on site at the end of February, and then a team from Siemens Canada will complete the installation and commissioning of the equipment in early March. The targeted go-live date to begin scanning patients is March 20th , 2023.
The CT suite addition is located directly south of the main entrance, adjacent to the east side the existing hospital building, and includes a private CT suite, technologist area, patient prep room, wait space, change room, washroom and stretcher holding area.
“We are getting very close to the date when Kincardine patients will no longer be required to leave the hospital to access CT service. Currently, patients are traveling out of the Kincardine community every day to access CT service, and in many cases, our staff and physicians are leaving the hospital to accompany them. The installation of a CT scanner means that patients can now complete this diagnostic imaging without leaving the hospital, saving time and stress for the patient and their families,” said Michael Barrett, President & CEO of SBGHC.
In addition to the CT scanner project, the Kincardine hospital expansion project continues to advance, passing another significant milestone in the Ministry of Health’s five-stage capital planning process with the completion of Stage 3.1, to be submitted this month. The Stage 3 submission includes the architectural, civil, mechanical, electrical and landscape drawings, and the functional program that was developed in Stage 2 that has been translated into a two dimensional design format. Once Stage 3 has been approved by the Ministry of Health, Stage 4, the development of working drawings that are suitable for public tendering and construction purposes, will begin. Stage 5 is construction, which is estimated to begin in 2025.
The Kincardine and Community Health Care Foundation has been working closely with SBGHC since the start of the CT and expansion projects, having two Foundation Board member representatives on SBGHC’s Kincardine Redevelopment Oversight Committee (KROC) which is helping to guide these projects.
The Foundation, through locally raised dollars, has committed to fund $3M of the cost of the CT Scanner project, and has also committed to funding the estimated $10.1M local share for Phase 1 of the hospital expansion project. The Foundation has launched the “Building Health Care for Generations” capital fundraising campaign, with an overall goal of raising $12M to fund the redevelopment project, the CT Scanner and the hospital’s ongoing medical equipment needs over the next four years. Support for this campaign has already begun with a $1.5M donation from Bruce Power, along with an additional $500,000 donation from Bruce Power’s supplier partners through the Bruce Power Supplier Sponsorship Package. In addition, the Municipalities of Kincardine and Huron-Kinloss have both made initial pledges of support.
“Our capital campaign to fund the community’s share of the hospital expansion and medical equipment needs is our biggest undertaking to date. But our hospital urgently requires critical upgrades, additional space and more modern technology,” said Becky Fair, Kincardine and Community Health Care Foundation President. “It will be through the generosity of the local community that our Kincardine hospital is upgraded and improved.”
To provide an overview of these projects, SBGHC is holding a Virtual Community Information Session on Monday, December 19th, 2022 at 6:30pm. The session will be held via Zoom to provide an update to the Kincardine community, and all members of the public are welcome to join the call. To register for the session and receive the zoom link by email, contact communications@sbghc.on.ca.
