In The News

Six hospital foundations, The Health Foundation of East Central Saskatchewan in Yorkton, Hospitals of Regina Foundation, St. Paul’s Hospital Foundation in Saskatoon, Boreal Healthcare Foundation in Prince Albert, Lloydminster Region Health Foundation, and St. Anthony’s Hospital Foundation in Esterhazy have partnered to provide the majority of the capital costs needed to start the new Diagnostic Sonography Program at Suncrest College, in Yorkton, in September 2024. The technology and equipment required to start the program will cost approximately $500,000, including the cost of ultrasound equipment and the various transducers and attachments required.

This is the first time a number of hospital foundations from across the province have come together to jointly lobby for and fund a specific clinical education program. While most foundations fund staff education programs in their respective hospitals, the support for the new Diagnostic Sonography Program is a unique case for the foundations. Typically, hospital foundations do not fund equipment for college programs, but in this instance the foundations are determined that the new program will help their hospitals deliver better health care in their respective communities. The program will help provide ultrasound technicians, who have been in high demand for 20 years, to hospitals throughout Saskatchewan. This program is a significant step towards addressing the issue.

The new Diagnostic Sonography Program, at Suncrest College, was announced by the Government of Saskatchewan in February 2024. Students in Saskatchewan who want to train to provide ultrasound services can now, for the first time, do so closer to home through this new provincial Diagnostic Medical Sonography Advanced Diploma program.

 The Health Foundation of East Central Saskatchewan, located in Yorkton where the program will be delivered by Suncrest College, coordinated the fundraising for this program and invited other hospital foundations to participate. 

Of the $500,000 needed to purchase equipment for the program, $220,000 plus an existing ultrasound machine was provided by The Health Foundation of East Central Saskatchewan. Additionally, $100,000 was provided by Hospitals of Regina Foundation, $25,000 each by St. Paul’s Hospital Foundation in Saskatoon and the Boreal Foundation in Prince Albert, and $15,000 each by St. Anthony’s Hospital Foundation in Esterhazy and the Lloydminster District Health Foundation. 

The new partnership, developed to move this program forward, holds a lot of potential for the future. There are many challenges in the health care system, including the lack of qualified staff in certain positions. 

By coming together to offer solutions to some of these challenges, the six foundations have opened the door to non-traditional ways of looking at those issues and offering innovative solutions.