September 11, 2019

After the ribbon cutting: What happens now?

Saskatchewan is no longer one of two Canadian provinces without a dedicated maternal and children’s hospital.

As announced during the historic ribbon cutting on September 5 to celebrate the grand opening of Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital, the facility will become fully operational beginning September 29, 2019.

“The opening of Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital is not the end of the journey to bring enhanced and specialized maternal and children’s services to the families of Saskatchewan; it is, in fact, the beginning,” said Corey Miller, Vice-President – Provincial Programs, Saskatchewan Health Authority. “The Saskatchewan Health Authority is looking forward to the ongoing partnership with Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital Foundation to continue to fund state-of-the-art medical equipment, research initiatives and innovative approaches to serve patients and families throughout Saskatchewan.”

Following first patient day, Saskatchewan families who spend time in hospital can expect family-centred care within the new facility and a child-friendly environment. The vision for province-wide pediatric care will be in full-swing using provincial programming to help meet the needs of children and families across the province as revolutionary research becomes available right here at home.

To promote excellence in homegrown pediatric and maternal research, Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital Foundation (JPCHF) has partnered with Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation to deliver an enhanced JPCHF Research Grant Program. The partnership exists to ensure funding is allotted each year to conduct vital research that impacts care, improving lives of kids, moms-to-be and families throughout the province and beyond.

“Community support of Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital Foundation will allow our teams to utilize new technologies to provide access to specialized services and expertise to families across the entire province,” said Miller. “This will reduce the burden of travel for patients and families, and increase the abilities of our incredible team of specialized health care professionals to provide care closer to home.”

The hospital opening also marks the introduction of many other “firsts” now available in Saskatchewan in pediatric health care. For the first time in the province, families will have access to a dedicated pediatric cardiac catheterization lab, a pediatric hemodialysis room, a pediatric sleep lab and pediatric surgical suites. A short-term child-minding space will also be available for siblings free of charge so parents can focus on their child’s medical appointment – a key way of ensuring family-centred care in the new facility.

Additionally, the introduction of NICView cameras that allow families to watch over their baby in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) as well as the Child Life Zone are two initiatives that will serve as the first-ever in Canada.

“This marks the beginning of a new era for Saskatchewan families. Together we reached this historical milestone and we are determined to ensure the future is bright today, tomorrow and for the next generation,” said Brynn Boback-Lane, President and CEO of Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital Foundation. “Our new chapter has begun as we strive for excellence in maternal and pediatric health care across all four corners of Saskatchewan for our children and families who need it.”

To give where needed most in maternal and pediatric health care in Saskatchewan, please donate at: pattisonchildrens.ca/donate.