Our current campaign

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In 2022, The Health Foundation is concentrating on raising funds to upgrade acute care at our regional health care facility.

Included in the 2022 goals, which will require the Foundation to raise $540,730, are the following:

Intensive Care Unit 

The provincial government has agreed to expand the ICU in the Yorkton Regional Hospital by one bed, from six to seven beds. It has been known for a while that the ICU needed to be expanded but it became clear during the pandemic. The government will pay for the additional staffing and renovations.  

The expansion will require equipment and staff training, and the Foundation has agreed to raise the funds for three nurses to take the critical car course to be qualified to work in the ICU, and for another bed, a cardiac monitor and defibrillator, vital signs monitor, and a patient lift.

Cost: $71,000

Laboratory

Digital microscopy will be installed in the lab. This is an exciting development. The Foundation has agreed to raise the funds for this equipment because there are significant benefits for patients.

This microscopy system will automate some of the time-consuming, manual effort of traditional lab work. It will increase lab technologists' productivity and allow better collaboration among staff by storing images centrally.

In addition, it has a database/reference library that will allow the computer, as well as the lab technologist, to provide a diagnosis -- a second opinion if you will. It will help the accuracy of the diagnosis.

This system will also allow the lab to send images directly to a specialist, like a hematopathologist. Currently samples are packaged up and physically sent to a specialist.    This technology will help maintain local services and provide access to specialists.

Cost: $53,500

Operating Room 

Another anesthetic machine is needed. We have a shortage of anesthesiologists, but if we do not have current equipment it makes it harder to recruit these specialists.

Cost: $94,160

Emergency 

A new ECG machine in is needed in the Emergency department. This is vital as many of the patients who attend emergency have heart conditions. Currently an ECG from other departments has to be borrowed.

Cost: $36,380

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is being expanded into another room. The Foundation will fund the necessary chairs and beds.

Cost: $23,540

Pyxis Medication System

The Foundation will provide the funds for the installation of a Pyxis Medication system throughout the hospital. This was started last year and installation will be completed in 2022.

There are many advantages to the Pyxis system:

• Medication is pre-packaged so it makes the nurses’ time more efficient;
• The built-in alert system reminds nurses when medication is due to be given. It also can alert a nurse if a patient is receiving too much medication in a 24-hour period;
• An automatic log notes when a medication is given, and if it is given at the proper time;
• These systems count and track medications to ensure the correct patient is receiving them, the correct dose is being given, and that RN preparation physician prescribing is correct;
• The systems link to the pharmacy and will flag staff if a medication is running low. This is very important for critical care medications that must be available at all times;
• Only trained nurses are given access, and then only to the machine in their work area. Each user has a password and is identified by Pyxis with their own individual fingerprint.

Automated dispensing systems have proven to enhance patient safety everywhere they are implemented.

Cost: $262,150 remaining to be raised of $710,000 total cost