Quinte West announces support for KHSC Redevelopment

The City of Quinte West has announced that it will commit funds to University Hospitals Kingston Foundation (UHKF) supporting the redevelopment of Kingston General Hospital (KGH) site of Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC). The multi-year commitment, beginning with $79,000 this year, was officially announced at a gathering of hospital donors and supporters on April 9.

Mayor Jim Harrison made the announcement. “It is clear that supporting the redevelopment of KHSC’s KGH site will help ensure Quinte West residents continue to get access to the best health care,” said Mayor Harrison. “We have excellent local hospitals but there are a growing number of residents who need the specialized and critical care available only at teaching hospitals like the Kingston Health Sciences Centre.”

The upcoming redevelopment project includes building a new tower to replace the outdated Empire, Dietary and Douglas wings. The tower will create state-of-the-art space for laboratories, the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, labour and delivery, operating rooms and emergency services. As is the case with all hospital redevelopment in Ontario, the community is allocated a “local share” of the project cost, which must be generated through donations and other local sources.

“Quinte West’s support is crucial to the successful completion of this project,” said Denise Cumming, President and CEO of UHKF. “We’re thrilled that this municipality has come on board as a supporter of our campaign.  We trust that the leadership of the Quinte West Council will inspire additional donations from across the region.”

Affiliated with the Faculty of Health Sciences at Queen’s University, Kingston Health Sciences Centre and Providence Care provide specialized, or tertiary, care not offered at other hospitals in the region. Each year, there are more than 16,000 visits by Quinte West residents to Kingston hospitals for cancer treatment, outpatient care and, for more critically ill patients, care in the Emergency Department and Intensive Care Unit.

Since 2006, patient visits from Quinte West to the Kingston Hospitals have grown by more 130 per cent; the volume of demand for care is projected to continue growing.

Quinte West’s past contributions to UHKF have supported the redevelopment of the Cancer Centre of Southeastern Ontario, Intensive Care Unit, Pediatric Unit, mental health and outpatient clinics. Improvements included increased space for patients, more capacity for a higher volume of visits and facilities and equipment that enabled new options for treatment.

Dr. David Pichora, President and CEO of KHSC welcomed the announcement. “As a regional care provider, we’re delighted to have the support of Quinte West for our redevelopment project. Updating of facilities like our operating suites and neonatal intensive care unit is crucial to our team being able to continue delivering excellent, highly specialized care to the entire region. ”

The redevelopment project is expected to be completed by 2025 and will equip care providers with the latest in facilities, technology and equipment, to better meet the needs of patients and families.