Construction begins on hospital lobby

DIDSBURY - Crews have begun renovations to the main entrance of the Didsbury hospital necessitating a temporary new entrance to be established.

"Signage will be posted on site to direct staff and patients to the temporary entrance they will need to use," said Lisa Sutherland, an Alberta Health Services (AHS) spokesperson, in a recently issued press release. "Staff and contractors would like to thank members of the community for their patience throughout this project. Work on the lobby is expected to be completed in fall of 2018."

The project is being led by AHS Capital Management with funding through the provincial government's Infrastructure Maintenance Program. Work began last Monday.

Natasha Tiemstra, AHS director with rural health, said the project will help streamline traffic into the hospital and brighten up the lobby.

"Many of the other rural hospitals have had similar work," said Tiemstra. "They were mostly all built in the 1970s and 1980s and as time passes there is a need for a bit of a facelift, and the needs of the community changes. The biggest thing I've noticed in other hospitals that have had this is they seem much more lighter, brighter, more welcoming."

Tiemstra said the front reception desk and the direction the employees are sitting will change.

"There will be more privacy," she said. "So when you check in you'll have a bit of a quieter space. When you line up, the direction of the line will change so people won't end up lining up through the doors, which has happened before. The colours will be more modern, the lighting will be improved, and some of the seating areas will be changed."

Tiemstra added that other than the alternative entrance, the operation of the hospital would remain the same.

"Nothing will be closed and programs won't be changed, it'll just affect the flow of patients and how you access rooms," she said.