N.S. launches outpatient centre in Halifax

A new outpatient centre in the Bayers Lake area of Halifax, N.S., will provide dozens of dialysis stations and clinical spaces, according to the province.

The Bayers Lake Community Outpatient Centre, located near highways 102 and 103, officially opened on Wednesday. The centre will offer more than 100 clinical spaces and 24 dialysis stations along with appointment-based services including eye care, X-ray, blood work, ultrasound, and orthopedic assessment.

A x-ray room at the Bayers Lake Community Outpatient Centre is pictured.

The centre can support roughly 280,000 patient visits annually, according to the province.

"Bayers Lake is just the start. We have a plan that includes a new hospital, emergency department and cancer centre," said Premier Tim Houston in the release. "We're focused on more, better, and faster healthcare for Nova Scotians, and this facility is one of the ways we're doing that."

The centre, which was originally approved under Liberal Premier Stephen McNeil in 2017, represents the Nova Scotia government’s first public-private health-care partnership, as EllisDon designed, built, and financed it. The entire project cost $259.4 million.

"This centre is not just about delivering healthcare but also about shaping a health-focused future that benefits our patients and the broader community for generations to come,” said Dr. Christy Bussey, medical executive director in the Central Zone for Nova Scotia Health. “We envision a future where healthcare professionals are attracted to and retained by these new spaces, where progressive research, innovative treatments and modern technologies are a key focus."

The centre will receive its first patients on Monday. There will need to be 150 staff to operate the centre.

Bayers Lake Community Outpatient Centre is pictured on Nov. 15, 2023.

"We anticipate starting at around a 60 per cent capacity and then ramping up to full capacity in the new year," said Kristen Goldsworthy, services manager for the centre.

For more Nova Scotia news visit our dedicated provincial page.