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Ambulatory Care Centre Opening (QEH)
Dr. Joseph A. and Eileen McMillan Ambulatory Care Centre
Some services in new Ambulatory Care Centre at QEH begin operating August 27
August 24, 2012
New Ambulatory Care Centre marks important innovation in Island health care
August 16, 2012
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What is ambulatory care?
How will the Ambulatory Care Centre benefit patients?
What services are provided at the Ambulatory Care Centre?
What are the features of the Ambulatory Care Centre?
How will the Ambulatory Care Centre improve the patient experience?
How will the Centre improve patient wait times?
How will the Ambulatory Care Centre improve patient safety?
Who works at the Ambulatory Care Centre?
What is the cost of the Ambulatory Care Centre?
How did the QEH Foundation help?
What’s next in the QEH Redevelopment?
What is ambulatory care?
Ambulatory care includes a broad range of same day hospital services that patients receive by scheduled appointment. Ambulatory care patients do not require an overnight stay in a hospital.
Providing services in an ambulatory care setting has now become the preferred standard for care. Most patients and families welcome the ambulatory approach rather than staying in the hospital.
Ambulatory care is one of the areas of significant growth within hospitals, driven by advances in technology, instrumentation, non-invasive techniques and new pharmaceutical products.
How will the Ambulatory Care Centre benefit patients?
Providing services on an ambulatory basis is better and safer for patients, both physically and emotionally, and it is also more cost effective for the health system.
With our focus on improved patient centred care, the Ambulatory Care Centre will improve patient wait times, privacy and confidentiality, be more convenient and comfortable, and better meet the educational needs of patients.
When using services in the Ambulatory Care Centre, patients and families will have shorter distances to walk, reduced waiting times to see their service provider (in some cases) and more private and comfortable space to use.
The Ambulatory Care Centre decreases the number of people travelling within the main body of the hospital since these services are now all in proximity to the front doors/parking lot. An increase in the number of handicapped parking spaces means easier access for patients who need them.
Having all ambulatory services co-located together will make it much easier for patients who require more than one service.
What services are provided at the Ambulatory Care Centre?
• Dr. Patrick Gill Asthma Education Centre
• Eye Clinic
• Same-Day Treatment Unit
• Hemodialysis
• Specimen Collection
• Special Testing Services
• Shared Clinics
• Endoscopy
See floor plan (PDF) for service location.
New state of the art technology available at the Ambulatory Care Centre includes:
• New cardiac monitors with end tidal CO2 monitors that improve the care of patients requiring sedation.
• More computers for staff to access patient information.
• Computers for patient education needs in the health information centre.
• Telehealth Service which will mean that patients will not have to go out of province as often.
• Negative pressure rooms that prevent airborne transmission of micro organisms.
• Bariatric spaces to improve the comfort of our larger patients.
• Better stretcher and treatment chairs to improve patient comfort.
• Wheelchair accessible and barrier-free washrooms.
• Patient ceiling lifts for transfers to improve both patient and staff safety.
What are the features of the Ambulatory Care Centre?
A shared patient preparation and recovery area will allow complex procedures to be performed more efficiently, thus permitting more patients to be seen.
The Specimen Collection Centre has more staff to help reduce wait times during peak hours.
The Same-Day Treatment Unit will have expanded patient care areas, allowing more patients to be treated.
The Eye Clinic will now have two procedure rooms and eye rooms that better accommodate the growing demand for eye injections and procedures.
Shared clinics will amalgamate a variety of services provided in various areas throughout the hospital.
A designated Holter ECG Technologist will reduce wait times for this test.
More staff, equipment, and physical space at the Ambulatory Care Centre will improve patient education and disease prevention and management. There are improved patient teaching areas, consultation rooms and increased video conferencing capability for educational needs.
The Same-Day Treatment Unit was launched last year. Previously these services were provided primarily in the emergency department, but patients had to spend an unpredictable and often long time in the waiting room before they could receive their treatment.
How will the Ambulatory Care Centre improve the patient experience?
The Ambulatory Care Centre is strategically located near the front entrance and parking lot, with improved waiting areas. When using services in the QEH Ambulatory Care Centre, patients and families will have shorter distances to walk, reduced waiting times to see their service provider and more private and comfortable space to use.
Newer amenities and more spacious room with natural lighting in some rooms will greatly improve the work environment for patients and staff. Larger rooms for Endoscopy will improve the overall experience for the patient and improve patient confidentiality.
The Ambulatory Care Centre supports early discharge from hospital by providing a number of diagnostic, treatment and follow-up services to inpatients so patients may go home and then return on an ambulatory basis for their follow-up care.
Services like the Same-Day Treatment Unit and secondary prevention clinics will reduce the patient volume in the emergency department, reduce admissions and readmissions, and reduce the need for inpatient beds.
Ambulatory services will be leveraged with other clinical resources such as Home Care to ensure a coordinated and integrated approach to patient care.
How will the centre improve patient wait times?
The services moving to the Ambulatory Care Centre will be better coordinated, accessible, and state of the art in regards to equipment and staff expertise. Appointments are pre-scheduled and these patients are in and out more quickly.
Providing services through ambulatory care is more cost effective for the health system. Patients benefit by being able to return home and avoid the risk of complications from longer hospital stays. Some inpatients are also discharged from hospital sooner, as they can have treatments provided in the Same-Day Treatment Unit instead of in hospital. The health system benefits as there is less requirement for costly inpatient beds.
More treatment/exam rooms and equipment will reduce the turnaround times and in some cases, the QEH Ambulatory Care Centre will be able to see more patients in the same period of time.
How will the Ambulatory Care Centre improve patient safety?
The Centre will meet current infection prevention and control guidelines through better design of spaces and more private rooms.
The Centre decreases the number of people travelling within the main body of the hospital since these services are now all in proximity to the front doors/parking lot.
The Centre will have new equipment that will improve safety, such as ceiling lifts for patients transfers
Who works at the Ambulatory Care Centre?
Approximately 2000 people work at the QEH, with about 150-200 staff working in the QEH Ambulatory Care Centre.
Staff who work in the Ambulatory Care Centre include Registered Nurses, EEG/EMG Technologists , ECG Technicians, Respiratory Therapists, Radiology Technologists, LPN, Orthopedic Technologists, Ophthalmic Technicians, Laboratory Assistants, Physicians, Dietitians, Ward Aide, Ward Clerks, Schedulers, Housekeepers, Biomedical Engineers, Health Records Clerk, Laundry Workers and various others.
There are 66 new positions added to the QEH Ambulatory Care Centre including a large number of support workers to support the clinical staff. These include housekeepers, schedulers, ward aide, ward clerks, health records clerks as well as nursing and allied health positions.
There are 54 volunteers who work directly in the QEH Ambulatory Care Centre. They are supported by another 77 volunteers who work at the information desk and admitting department.
What is the cost of the Ambulatory Care Centre?
Construction costs were $30 million. Design work started in 2008, and site preparation started in fall of 2010.
The budget for the QEH Ambulatory Care Centre is approximately $8.9 million annually. The QEH Centre will treat an estimated 485 patients per day, or 126,000 visits per year. The new centre will be able to see 10% more patients than before.
How did the QEH Foundation help?
The QEH Foundation embarked on a major capital campaign to fund medical equipment for the new Emergency Department, PEI Cancer Treatment Centre, Day Surgery, upgrade medical equipment in the existing hospital, and the new Ambulatory Care Centre.
Through the generous support of the donors to this campaign, the QEH Foundation has contributed $5.2 million for new equipment for the new Ambulatory Care Centre.
Over and above this, a bequest of $1,557,000 was left by the late Eileen Fulford. The bequest was endowed and the income from the estate will assist with medical equipment on an ongoing basis. In recognition of this outstanding gift, the Centre will be called the Dr. Joseph A. and Eileen McMillan Ambulatory Care Centre.
Under the leadership of Jim Casey, the Care Today for Tomorrow Capital Campaign reached an unprecedented fundraising goal of $22 Million for new medical equipment for Prince Edward Island's major referral hospital. The community contributed $11 Million and the PEI Government matched the private sector donation.
What's next in the QEH Redevelopment?
The next phase will include Day Surgery, Pre Surgery, Ophthalmology Suite and PACU (Recovery Room). This will be located in the old Emergency Department Area.
Design is in final stages with construction to start in October 2012 and scheduled completion in Spring of 2014.
News Release
August 16, 2012 - New Ambulatory Care Centre marks important innovation in Island health care
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This information has been taken from website "Health PEI"