(Photo by Jordan MacKinnon for BlackburnNews.com)(Photo by Jordan MacKinnon for BlackburnNews.com)
Midwestern

SBGHC Preparing For Region-Wide Growth

Hospitals in southern Bruce County are getting ready for increased demand as the Bruce Power refurbishment fuels growth in the region.

South Bruce Grey Health Centre President and CEO Paul Rosebush says they expect to see usage at their Kincardine site increase dramatically as early as next year, with impacts expected in Walkerton and Chesley as the life extension project hits full steam.

He says they are looking at both people and their facilities as they determine how they will have to adapt to the sudden growth in their communities.

Rosebush says a hiring spree is unlikely, but they will look at additional shifts, such as adjusting on-call shifts to full-time.

"We may have cases where we have on-call for lab or [diagnostic imaging] services, it may go to that we have a full-time shift for those things instead of replacing them with people to come in," says Rosebush. "So those are the types of things we'll be looking at."

The configuration of their hospitals is also being examined, as Rosebush points out they need to make sure they have room for additional patients.

"New space would be, do we have to reconfigure parts of our hospital to accommodate more people in the waiting room? Do we need to put a new exam room in? That's basically what we're looking at right now," says Rosebush.

Rosebush adds timing is everything and it works out well that they are currently in the process of planning their redevelopment at the Kincardine hospital, and they will use the opportunity to make sure the plans reflect the expected increases.

He adds they will also use make sure Ministry of Health officials are aware they will need additional funding to cope with the expected growth.

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