A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held at Stratford General Hospital Friday to celebrate the completion of upgrades to the Cancer and Medical Care Clinic and Pharmacy.
The Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance (HPHA) said the state of-the-art facility represents a significant step forward in meeting the needs of patients by offering advanced treatment options in a brighter, more comfortable, and accessible environment.
The upgrades include increasing patient consultation and treatment spaces from 12 to 17, adding a negative pressure room to provide care for high-risk patients, and creating a specialized Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter (PICC) room for the insertion of central lines for long-term IV medication administration.
"Today’s event is an outstanding reminder of the important role the community plays in supporting our ability to provide the highest quality care,” said Andrew Williams, HPHA President and CEO. "We now have a world-class facility to complement the world-class care provided day-in-day, day-out to those in need, and I could not be more proud and appreciative of all those who helped make this a reality."
The Stratford General Hospital Foundation's In Our Hands Capital Campaign committed $15 million toward the project's $30 million goal.
During the event, attendees had the opportunity to tour the facility, although the the clinic’s pharmacy was not included in the tour due to the sensitive nature of its operations.
"The investment in pharmacy facilities allows HPHA to adhere to current medication preparation standards for patient and staff safety," said Ryan Itterman, Director, Diagnostics, Regional Pharmacy and Chemotherapy. "We are proud of the new Cancer and Medical Care Clinic, which will support the growing needs of those we serve in a modern and comfortable setting for years to come."
As a satellite program of the Verspeeten Family Cancer Centre at London Health Sciences Centre, HPHA’s clinic serves over 3,500 patient visits annually, including chemotherapy treatments and supportive care for cancers such as breast, prostate, bowel, and lung, among others.