Halifax’s IWK Health Centre is unveiling plans for a new intensive care unit - said to be the best in the world - for newborns and their parents, thanks to a privately-funded campaign.
The hospital’s ‘Breakthroughs in Care Campaign’ started five years ago and has quietly raised $51 million, on its way to becoming the largest privately-funded healthcare campaign in the history of Atlantic Canada.
The big bucks will make a difference in the lives of the IWK's tiniest patients.
The money will be used to improve care for women, children, and perhaps, most notably, design what’s being called a ‘world class’ intensive care unit for newborns and their patients.
"We want parents to be able to be with their babies," says Tanya Bishop, operations manager of the IWK’s neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
Bishop says 38 private rooms will be built over the next three years. The rooms will include technology so loved ones can check in at any time on phones and computers.
"There are things that are about to happen here at the NICU that aren't happening at other NICUs, so that makes me really proud to know that we are just going to push the envelope a little further to let families know you come first," says Bishop.
The improvements will mean new parents like Jenn McNutt and Dan Cameron will be able to stay overnight with their babies in hospital.
"You can see the space we are in, and this is where we have been for six weeks. It's very exciting to think of the parents coming down the road who will be able to stay in the same space with their babies," says Jenn McNutt.
In addition to improvements within the intensive care unit, the money will also be used to resdesign spaces in women's health, mental health, research and rehabilitation services.
"The care here is second to none, all we are doing now is creating the environment to match incredible staff that work here at the IWK," says IWK Foundation President & CEO Jennifer Gillivan.
Some of the spaces have already been built, such as the rehabilitation centre for children.
The manager of rehabilitation services says it's brought physicians into the same area, allowing them to deliver more efficient care.
"For patients, the staff that are seeing them have a better chance to collaborate, and have a better idea of what the families key priorities are," says Heather Osborne-Vincent, manager of rehabilitation services at the IWK.
The money will also fund mental health research. IWK staff say this historic fundraiser will improve the way critical care is provided to Maritime parents and their families for years to come.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Kelland Sundahl.
