Misericordia emergency department construction nearing completion

It’s a construction zone right now, but by next year the new emergency department at the Misericordia Community Hospital will be open and operating at full capacity.

“Emergency departments like this one at the Misericordia Community Hospital have been literally saving lives for many Albertans, but the facilities aren’t keeping up with the demands,” said Jason Copping, Minister of Health in a statement.

The new emergency department is scheduled to open in late summer or early fall 2023. It’s designed to treat more than 60,000 patients each year. Meanwhile, the current space has been seeing more than 50,000 visits annual, in a space designed for 25,000 patients.

The larger facility will have more treatment spaces, ambulance bays and radiology rooms.

“We will be able to see patients quicker, there are DI suites located within the department, so it will improve the pace at which people are seen, the number of people that are seen,” says Jo Ann Molloy, senior operating officer at the Misericordia Community Hospital.

The new department also has purpose-built mental health spaces. “The mental health space as well is a game-changer. We have 8 dedicated spaces, a specific pod for mental health patients, rather than having that population mixed in with the general emergency population, which can be very disruptive and noisy, it will be much more peaceful for them,” says Molloy.

Treena Hrytsak has turned to the Misericordia ER for over 40 years, for the birth of her two children and two breast cancer surgeries. She says the upgrades are very impactful.

“I have 4 grandchildren and 2 children, and for me, for the future, for them to be able to get the care that they need, this is amazing. And the windows, that is a great improvement to get that. I think everyone can benefit from vitamin D when you don’t feel good,” she says.

The Covenant Foundation is launching a new $2.6 million fundraising campaign to support the Misericordia Community Hospital’s new emergency department. Money raised will go towards enhancing the space, and making it more comfortable for both patients and staff.

“This campaign gives Albertans the opportunity to support tens of thousands of people from across our province who will turn to Misericordia’s emergency department at a time of urgent need,” said Lisa Munro, president & CEO of Covenant Foundation in a statement.

“These vital funds will benefit patients, families and staff. From the parents using our new interactive play space to occupy their young children to the nurse decompressing in our courtyard dedicated to staff. And nestled within the ER, our leading-edge training space will help frontline staff refine their skills and shave seconds off procedures that save lives.”

Molloy says the larger emergency department will need additional physicians, and nurses, as well as more staff for cleaning and maintenance, but says she’s aware of the staffing shortages.

“Like everywhere else in Canada, we are challenged by staffing issues right now,” she says. Molloy says they have a recruitment campaign underway for the emergency department, and says they are getting good results from that.

The Alberta Government has invested $65 million into the new emergency department, says Jason Copping, Minister of Health. “The Misericordia and the growing communities around it needed more space even before COVID, and now they need it urgently.” Copping acknowledged the challenges Alberta hospitals are currently facing. “We are having a busy and early flu season.”

“You may not know this, but my wife is an ER nurse, so projects like this hold a special place in my heart,” says Nathan Neudorf, Minister of Infrastructure, who was there to tour the facility on Wednesday.

“When I think of the Misericordia emergency department redevelopment, I think of the people who work here, healthcare professionals just like my wife, and the people they will help, and the people they will save. The impact of construction projects like this one can not be understated. This is exactly how we build a better future for Albertans.”