Rotary: Speakers Corner..April 11, 2012
Posted by Don Klassen
on Apr 15, 2012
........The good news is that, since 2001, the Rotary Club of Port Moody has supported ERH in the amount of $145,470.17!
"How great to hear, first hand, what is happening over at Eagle Ridge. At our April 11, meeting, three passionate women (Carol McGrandles - Project Director, Allison Johansen - Hospital Foundation Chair & Charlene Giovannetti - Executive Director and a distant cousin of Gray) gave us a huge insight into the needs and possibilities for the Eagleridge site.
Eagleridge opened its doors in 1984, prepared to serve the needs of 20,000 throughout the Tri-Cities. Today, that figure is appr. 200,000 and expected to grow by 52% in the next 20 years!
The largest employer in the Tri-Cities (950 employees), ERH handles 45,000 medical procedures annually, including appr. 6,000 'in patients' in 6 operating rooms.
2010-2011 saw 42,000 emergency visits in an obviously overwhelmed and insufficient emerg. facility, the majority of those visits being under the age of 18!
And, the 'over 65' population is expected to increase by 37% in the next 20 years! The Manor may be a more important part of the hospital service program because of this.
The Foundation is searching every corner of fundings and approvals to find a response to the explosion of challenges that face ERH.
So…Foundation Directors, Medical Staff experts and Architects are all focusing on grappling with the needs of improving the inside facilities (esp. Emerg.) and adding and enhancing building systems which can grow the hospital's potential and capacity for care. Expanded Paediatric care is one of the targets (look at the ratio of youth and children going to emerg.)
The Hospital currently occupies 20% of the site grounds but are allowed to go up 50% coverage.
Architects, involved in presenting options, are excited about this as most hospitals have no room for horizontal growth.
The Foundation's goal is to prepare a comprehensive set of potential solutions to the Operational / Clinical needs then present it to Fraser Health. Fraser Health will, if in agreement, then present the proposal to the Ministry of Health.
The good news is that, since 2001, the Rotary Club of Port Moody has supported ERH in the amount of $145,470.17! Most of this going to The Manor for Ice Machine, Lift etc.
On Wednesday an additional cheque for, almost, $7,000 was presented by the Port Moody Rotary Club to Charlene and was gratefully accepted.
More evidence of the work being done by a group of service minded citizens who love their community."