Improving access to care
With the first official day of winter right around the corner and flu season already here, we’re making sure we’re ready to treat the increased number of patients we expect to see over the next few months. There are many ways we work to help address capacity challenges and hallway medicine. New this year is a program called MackenzieHelps which will increase the number of beds available to treat acute care patients. More on this below.
Also in this edition of the Insider, we’re sharing some fun facts and an exclusive video on the installation of our data centres which are the backbone of our smart hospital vision.
Plus, our annual fundraising gala brought community leaders together and raised an impressive $1.16 million.
These updates and more in the latest Insider.
Caring for more patients where and when they need it most
Meet the new Mackenzie Health Navigators! Registered nurses Joanna (left) and Deanna will help support patients as they transition home.
Mackenzie Health is hard at work to ease the capacity pressures that come with operating one of the busiest emergency departments in Ontario, in a region with a high population of seniors who need specialized care.
MackenzieHelps is a 16-week program of home and community care that will help those with complex care needs safely leave the hospital to continue their care in the comfort of their own home. The program was launched in October following a $2.1 million investment from the Government of Ontario. It is possible thanks to a partnership between Mackenzie Health, CHATS-Community & Home Assistance to Seniors and SE Health.
MackenzieHelps will alleviate some of the pressures that come with a growing and aging population. Patients will still receive the safe, quality care they need and expect, but it will be provided in the right place for them based on their health care needs. This means our doctors and nurses can deliver care to more patients in the hospital recovering from serious injuries or illness who require an acute care bed.
Planning for our smart hospital
Installing the right technology is essential to support both clinical and non-clinical systems – Mackenzie Health’s technology enables patients, nurses and physicians to access the electronic medical record (EMR) and support the medical devices and technologies that will establish Mackenzie Vaughan Hospital as the first smart hospital in Canada.
By installing modular pre-fabricated data centres featuring an all-in-one portable and stackable design, we maximize the use of our time and resources as construction continues.
These 150,000 lb modular data centres were designed, manufactured, configured and tested at a factory near Windsor and installed by cranes at the Mackenzie Vaughan Hospital site. A similar data centre was previously installed at Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital and is already supporting the hospital’s operations.
Here’s an exclusive first look at the delivery of these data centres:
These data centres will sit beside the Central Utility Plant (CUP) outside the main hospital building to create more space inside the hospital for clinical services. The equipment will benefit from natural cooling resulting in energy efficiencies and savings in energy costs. They’ve been designed so that any future upgrades needed because of advances in technology can be done efficiently and cost-effectively.
Fun fact: Mackenzie Health is the first in Ontario to have two of these modular data centres connected by a fiber-optic cable installed between the two hospitals.
Why is this important? In the event of an outage at one site, a back-up will be available at the other site ensuring minimal downtime. This means that our nurses and physicians will be able to provide continuous, quality care to patients without interruption.
Around the World Gala raises $1.16 million
More than 1,100 community leaders from across York Region came together and raised $1.16 million at Mackenzie Health Foundation’s Around the World Gala on Saturday, November 2. Gala co-chairs Milena Calabro and Stephanie Pillitteri welcomed guests to an international experience, featuring cuisine from some of the most popular gastronomic destinations around the world – China, Mexico, Brazil, Morocco and Italy.
One lucky raffle winner drove away in a 2019 Alfa Romeo Giulia TI RWD (valued at nearly $70,000), generously donated by R. Ferri Automotive. This year’s live auction featured an equipment appeal that raised $148,000 for infant incubators.
We’re endlessly grateful to all the sponsors, guests, donors and volunteers who helped make the 32nd Annual Mackenzie Health Foundation Gala a tremendous success.
The competition is heating up on the Ultimate leaderboard. Donors in Vaughan are at the top of the Location Leaderboard with Richmond Hill in close second. The season of giving is upon us, so invite your friends, family and colleagues to make a donation in support of Mackenzie Health. We need to raise $250 million to reach our campaign goal. The time to give is now. Donate today at www.theultimatesuitsyou.ca.
Read more about Mackenzie Health and Mackenzie Health Foundation in our community report