In many ways, hospitals have been at the epicenter of the pandemic. More than two years since it began, our patients teams and operations continue to experience its impact. More often than not during the last two years, we have faced significant staffing shortages, record high bed occupancy rates, and deferrals to care. All of this has shone a very bright light on the need for continued investment in healthcare. We need facilities designed to meet today’s infection control standards, tools and technology that improve how we provide care, and programs aimed at developing and retaining skilled health care workers for the long term.

Looking back on the year, we’ve made impressive progress on many of these fronts despite the relentless pressures on our system. Our two-year journey to renew our aging hospital information system culminated on June 4th when we went live with Epic. We now have every patient’s medical record in one place, thousands of new digital devices to help us access those records at the bedside, and new ways of working that improve patient safety.

Early this year, we celebrated several major milestones in our hospital redevelopment plans. We received the green light from the provincial government to proceed with planning for the redevelopment of the Juravinski Hospital and Cancer Center to increase patient capacity and rebuild very old clinical spaces that are no longer acceptable by today’s care standards. We’ve also received funding to make major improvements to the emergency department at our Hamilton General Hospital site which is an essential part of one of the busiest trauma centers in Ontario. And we broke ground at our West Lincoln Memorial Hospital site where a brand new hospital will be built to serve the growing population of West Niagara. None of this work would be possible or worthwhile without the thousands of staff and physicians who provide care here every day. Without them, our tools and buildings amount to nothing.

The future of our hospitals depends on a strong, sustainable workforce. Accordingly, workforce planning is a big priority for us in the year ahead as we develop new and innovative strategies to attract, train and retain skilled healthcare providers. We’ve also made great strides in our work to improve equity, diversity and inclusion for everyone who walks through our doors: patients, staff, physicians and volunteers. We want HHS to be a place where people are proud to work, where they feel included and valued and where they can build a lifelong career. To everyone who learns, works and volunteers at Hamilton Health Sciences, thank you. We have a lot of work ahead of us and like most hospitals in Ontario, we’re still burdened by the stubborn persistence of the COVID-19 virus in our community. But the future looks brighter than it has for a long time.

INVESTMENTS IN OUR PEOPLE AND OUR TOOLS

2021/22 Investments | Over $84M allocated to projects completed in fiscal 2022

$21.7 Million Medical Equipment/MES An article, instrument, apparatus or machine that is used in the prevention, diagnosis or treatment of illness or disease

$18.6 Million Computer Technology Software applications and operating systems (telephones, other telecommunications products, video equipment)

$18.0 Million Health & Safety Equipment and facility upgrades to ensure a safe and secure environment for staff, patients and the community

$13.1 Million Facilities Projects completed that maintain or enhance the performance of critical systems and infrastructure

$12.8 Million Covid 19 Projects completed to support the response to the Covid 19 pandemic