WestView becomes a vital part of the Tri-Community area
December 10, 2010
STONY PLAIN – WestView Health Centre celebrates its 10th anniversary and marks a milestone in community outreach and interdisciplinary medical teamwork.
Serving the Tri-Community area — Stony Plain, Spruce Grove, Parkland County and Wabamun — the centre’s full range of community services has more than doubled the number of area residents receiving home care over the past decade. Today, about 1,000 patients receive home care compared to 400 when WestView opened.
“From the outset, we took the approach that most of our care would happen out in the community and that, occasionally, people would need to come into the hospital when they have a medical emergency,” says site director Ellen Billay.
“WestView was built on a very robust, home-care model.”
The facility supports the Alberta Health Services (AHS) goal of providing high-quality, accessible health care to all Albertans. The centre has 20 acute care beds, four maternity beds, 50 long-term care beds and day surgery, in addition to community services, including home care, an adult day program, and mental health and public health services.
“For our size, we provide excellent day surgery in a number of areas, including ophthalmology, general surgery, gynecologic surgery and endoscopy,” says medical director Dr. Allan Bailey.
Over the past decade, the total regional population served by the health centre has jumped
44 per cent, to 76,000 from 52,800. Expansion of services at WestView has more than matched the rate of regional population growth, often surpassing it (see Backgrounder).
Stony Plain mayor Ken Lemke says WestView Health Centre is a vital part of the community.
“A community is defined by its services and amenities to its citizens. It’s hard to imagine Stony Plain without WestView,” says Lemke.
Adds Wabamun mayor Bill Purdy: “WestView is so important to all of us who live and work in this region.”
These area residents include Robert Byers of Spruce Grove, who visits his wife Mary in continuing care at WestView, where she’s lived since May.
“It’s a great place. They’re really good here,” says Byers, 79. “Before, she couldn’t get out of bed. Now, with physiotherapy she receives here, she’s stronger now. During the day, WestView staff are always coming around to talk to her, to give her a hug.”
Stony Plain resident Marty Haak, 70, has been coming to WestView’s community care clinic for bandaging and wound care after back surgery.
“The care is excellent,” says Haak. “I’ve been very satisfied and never had a problem with treatment or scheduling. They’re very accommodating.”
To further meet the demands of its growing community, WestView Health Centre also established specialty services, such as pediatric asthma and neurodevelopmental clinics and a women’s clinic primarily aimed at serving women who don’t have a family physician.
The centre also refers patients to specialized adult and pediatric obesity clinics that work with the Edmonton-based Weight Wise program.
“When it comes to integrated service delivery, WestView is certainly a leader and state of the art,” says Linda Cargill, Executive Director of Community and Rural Hospitals, Edmonton Zone, for AHS.
AHS is the provincial health authority responsible for planning and delivering health supports and services for more than 3.7 million adults and children living in Alberta. Its mission is to provide a patient-focused, quality health system that is accessible and sustainable for all Albertans.
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