East wing entrance to the new NBGH, which is fully staffed and operational. Photo by Devin Size When the city of North Bay closes one door, it opens several more.
East wing entrance to the new NBGH, which is fully staffed and operational. Photo by Devin Size
When the city of North Bay closes one door, it opens several more. The old North Bay General Hospital’s McLaren and Scollard sites, as well as the Northeast Mental Health Centre’s North Bay site on Hwy 11 N, are now officially closed.
The much anticipated move and opening into the new North Bay General Hospital is finally complete. The transfer of all patients, equipment, and staff was a success as predicted. Vice President Medicine Care of the NBRCH, Nancy Jacko, accredited its perfect execution to several months of planning and the doubled staff.
“It was long and well planned for,” said Jacko. “With this move that planning was very beneficial. We started by opening the new ER here at 6 a.m. and closing the others simultaneously. The patients started moving at 7 a.m., but all details were so well choreographed that everyone from the Scollard site was out by 10, and once they were established we started moving the McLaren site just after 11 a.m.”
The patients were moved using Parabuses, emergency ambulances, and transport vehicles, all depending on their alternate levels of care. Jacko added that not only moving the patients was stressful, but also the equipment needed to be broken down and rebuilt.
“We had blankets and warmers for all the patients to not suffer the cold. The vehicles were always kept warm to keep them as comfortable as possible. If people think we came into a brand new hospital and brand new equipment, and only thought we had to move patients, well we had to move all their equipment as well.”
By noon on Saturday, 118 patients had already been transferred from the NMHC and the Acute Inpatient Psychiatry Unit into the new facility. Today’s tally ran up to 140 patients moved from both NBGH sites, which was completed just before two o’clock Sunday. All staff from the other hospital sites is resuming their post at the new NBGH site, and no cuts were made. NBRHC President and CEO, Mark Hurst, said he could not be more pleased with today’s results.
“From all accounts the move went really well, all the patients settled in very well,” added Hurst. “Whatever challenges we faced today we stood up to them and conquered them. It was a cold one, but a nice clear day. We had some patients more ill than others, so of course more precautions were taken for them, and thankfully we had no complications.”
An era ends here in North Bay with these three major care centres closing, but the future for local health care is bright with the opening of this large, fully equipped, brand new facility. The new NBGH is now for all intents and purposes open and fully functional. All existing phone numbers for the other sites have been transferred over to avoid any confusion.
On a historical note for the old NBGH, the last baby to ever be born there arrived at 9:18 a.m. Sunday morning to joyful parents Krystal Minor and Mike Duquette of Mattawa. The proud mother and baby Kallie Duquette were the last two patients to leave the old site, and are now resting comfortably in their new room at the new NBGH. Kallie was delivered healthy at 7 lbs 7 oz. Congratulations to Mike and Krystal for their newest family member.
