The following is a press release issued Feb. 12.

Agreement reached on new integrated health facility to be built in Maple Creek – New direction for healthcare delivery in the Southwest

Healthcare delivery in Southwest Saskatchewan is poised to take a new and improved direction as a result of a year and a half of intense discussions and negotiations and a commitment by the Saskatchewan government to support community and regional efforts to make improvements.

Representatives of the Southwest community, the Cypress Health Region and the Ministry of Health hammered out a comprehensive agreement February 3rd that will see all parties co-operating in an ongoing and continual effort to improve healthcare immediately and react to future health care needs. All parties agreed to co-operate fully and maintain full transparency in a concerted effort to develop and maintain a comprehensive rural health strategy.

With the endorsement of all three parties, it was officially determined that the proposed new integrated health facility will be a reality. Following the necessary functional planning, community/health provider consultation and design processes, it was agreed that construction will begin as soon as possible.
It was pointed out by the Ministry of Health that it will be the responsibility of the Cypress Health Region to use the new integrated facility at Maple Creek as a lead out in developing a rural health strategy. In other words, Cypress Health Region personnel in co-operation with the Southwest Community will have the Ministrys support to develop a rural health care delivery model that can be used to improve health care in other regions of the province.

Initial planning of the integrated facility will see a capacity of 48 long term care beds and 24 acute care beds. However, the design of the building and infrastructure will provide for expansion when necessary. Flexibility of acute care beds will also become a part of the initial design to accommodate long term care, palliative care, respite and convalescence as needed at any given time.

Considered by all parties to be as important as the building is the part of the agreement that assures new equipment will be installed and new healthcare services will be initiated even as the building is in the planning stages.

The agreement calls for Telehealth equipment to be installed and operational in the spring of 2010. Innovative models of EMS delivery including advanced Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) – Paramedics will be explored. The Ministry will work with the Cypress Health Region to explore the opportunities for midwives to operate in the Southwest. Cypress Health Region and a Southwest committee will work together to establish a physician resource plan.
The Health Region will work with the community, physicians, nurses and providers to strengthen Chronic Disease Management (also known as Primary Health Care) with a focus on the patient and a commitment to team based practice.

In consultation with the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency, the potential and range of oncology services that can be delivered from the Southwest facility will be developed by June 1, 2010. The Ministry of Health also indicated it will be open to further discussions concerning what type of dialysis services can be appropriately delivered in the Southwest. Southwest Community personnel and health care providers will be fully involved in the new health care delivery plan as well as the integrated facility design. Community involvement
will not only be welcome, but it will be expected during the planning stages and on a continuing basis into the future.

Cypress Health Region personnel and all members of the Oversight Committee are confident this Community is capable of developing a strategy that will serve as a model for health care delivery in the province.

Background
On February 3, 2009 the Province of Saskatchewan announced approval of funding for a new integrated health facility to be constructed in the community of Maple Creek, as part of a $153 million investment into long term care throughout rural Saskatchewan. The Minister of Health Don McMorris joined the local community, MLA Wayne Elhard, and the Cypress Health Region on February 5, 2009 at Cypress Lodge in Maple Creek to officially announce the funding for the new integrated facility project.