The Provincial Government is increasing access to health care services with a new ambulatory care hub on the Northeast Avalon. The new hub will also help decrease visits at acute care facilities, such as the Health Sciences Centre, and serve as an important element in the Provincial Government’s plan to reimagine health care.
NL Health Services has awarded a contract valued at $4.1 million annually to Newfoundland and Labrador Health Alliance for a 20-year lease of approximately 80,000 square feet of space at the former Costco Building, 28 Stavanger Drive, in St. John’s.
The new location for ambulatory care services on Stavanger Drive will improve access to services where overnight hospitalization is not required, such as outpatient physiotherapy, medicine and surgery clinics, general x-rays, and ultrasounds. In addition, relocating the services will:
- Decrease vehicular and foot traffic at acute care sites;
- Enable expansion of critical acute inpatient services, such as emergency, surgery, and cardiology;
- Increase the number of clinic spaces available to service providers, which will help reduce wait times;
- Allow current space to be used more efficiently; and
- Assist in recruitment initiatives.
The department and NL Health Services anticipate the new hub opening in early 2025.
The new hub is the latest in a series of actions to increase access to health care, including:
- Expanding virtual care to communities with difficult-to-fill health-care positions;
- Expanding the emergency department at the Health Sciences Centre in St. John’s;
- Connecting more than 50,000 people to family care teams throughout the province; and
- Establishing centres of excellence in aging at regional hospitals.
Information on tenders and requests for proposals issued and awarded by the Provincial Government and other public bodies is available by visiting www.merx.com/govnl.
Quotes
“Moving ambulatory care services to its own location is a win for everyone involved. It will mean people who need same-day ambulatory services will have improved access to specialists with the expansion of these specialty clinics outside of a larger acute care hospital. It will also improve the experience for patients, clients and their families as it will remove physical barriers for these ambulatory services as they will be located in a more welcoming and open environment in the community in a non-hospital setting. As well, health-care professionals will benefit from the relocation as operations at the new hub and at acute care facilities will now be more efficient.”
Honourable Tom Osborne
Minister of Health and Community Services
“The relocation of ambulatory care services to a new location outside of health-care facilities is an important step to enhance health care for our patients, clients and residents. This move will improve access to many clinics and result in a more efficient clinic design that will enhance the use and function of clinic space which benefits both our patients and our health-care professionals. Creating an ambulatory care services hub also supports our approach to people-centred care and supports the health and well-being of individuals across our province.”
Ron Johnson, Chief Operating Officer of the Eastern-Urban Zone
NL Health Services
-30-
Learn more
Provincial Government Increasing Access to Health Care Through Virtual Care Contract