Photo Courtesy EverythingGP Staff

By Tanner Smith

Hospital

Some milestones for GPRH as it marked its one-year anniversary

Dec 14, 2022 | 4:13 PM

The Grande Prairie Regional Hospital has been a staple in this region for over a year now, after first being officially opened on December 4, 2021.

Senior Operating Officer Candace Edey, says the building has had a number of big milestones since its official opening, including adding more intensive care beds, having over 1,300 births, over 6,000 surgeries, 47,000 emergency department visits, and even an international award.

“The building received an International building award, from the International Federation of Health Care Engineering. This award recognizes the importance of the design for the health care facility, that helps accommodate all patients, visitors, and staff, so that was a really exciting moment for us.”

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Looking back a year ago, Edey says she wouldn’t have ever imagined how well the hospital turned out, having old issues from the QE II with having enough space for equipment obsolete. She adds it is not just the size that makes this building easier to distribute care, but the amenities as well.

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“There are so many things we got as a part (of moving into this building). We have the facility itself, the equipment that came with it, the expansion of the Cancer Centre, and being able to offer radiation therapy is a massive improvement for the people in the community, being able to stay closer to home while receiving that higher level of care is very important.”

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Even with the hospital revolutionizing care in this region, from adding cultural green spaces, the therapy clown, and partnering with the Stollery to operate a pediatric wing, they still are trying to buck the provincial and national trend of staff shortages.

“We have some vacancies. It’s a challenge being faced throughout the province, and actually nationally and internationally.”

“The shortage of health care workers is being felt for sure, so we have initiatives that we have in place. We have opened some additional beds. We have recruited some additional staff and we do continue to work through those staffing challenges.”

Edey adds they are currently working towards long-term recruitment and retention strategies.

Looking forward to next year, Edey says the hospital is looking to increase opportunities for surgical care and in turn, reduce wait lists.

Improvements to the culture at the hospital as well. That includes being more welcoming to all patients, staff, or visitors regardless of race, religion, or creed, with the addition of a frontline diversity and inclusion council.

To celebrate the anniversary, the staff hosted an event for people to come in and look around, eat some snacks and give their feedback on how things are running.

” So any staff position, volunteers, public, came by got to come by and participate in that, (the event) and have some treats and celebrate with us, really well received, everyone really enjoyed it,” says Edey.

Photo Courtesy EverythingGP Staff