More than $168,000 invested in local health care

LETHBRIDGE — More than $168,000 has been invested on a new chiller at the St. Michael’s Health Centre. The new chiller replaces an older model, and will ensure patients and staff have a comfortable building environment.

“We are proud of the excellent care provided by our St. Michael’s Health Centre physicians and staff,” says Sheli Murphy, Covenant Health Senior Operating Officer for Rural Services. “Maintaining our facilities is essential to ensuring patients receive the best care possible.”

Funding for this project came from the Government of Alberta’s Infrastructure Maintenance Program (IMP). In recent years, additional IMP funding has been invested in other projects at the St. Michael’s Health Centre, including repairs to its phone system and replacement of a hot water tank.

“Projects like these greatly enhance the quality of life for the residents living in these facilities,” says Sean Chilton, Chief Zone Officer in the South Zone of Alberta Health Services (AHS). “It is also vital we keep our health care infrastructure up to date.”

AHS, in partnership with Alberta Infrastructure, Covenant Health and Alberta Health, is building and renewing facilities across the province to provide accessible, sustainable, quality health care to all Albertans. AHS currently has about 520 maintenance projects underway throughout the province.

“During a trip to Lethbridge this spring, I had the opportunity to visit St. Michael’s Health Centre and learn more about the significance of this facility in serving the health care needs of the area,” says Sarah Hoffman, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “This investment supports necessary upgrades at St. Michael’s and further demonstrates how our government is working to improve health infrastructure and capital in communities across Alberta.”

Each year, AHS submits a list of IMP priority renovation, repair or upgrade projects for the next three years to Alberta Health and Alberta Infrastructure to ensure the projects meet program criteria. Projects are ranked in priority from those that must be done immediately to ensure safety and health of patients and staff, to non-urgent projects that need to be addressed over time.

Taking into account the diverse needs of Albertans, AHS is strategically investing in the health system to support patients and communities to stay healthy and manage illness effectively.
AHS maintains more than 450 facilities throughout the province, including hospitals, clinics, continuing care facilities, mental health facilities and community health sites.

Alberta Health Services is the provincial health authority responsible for planning and delivering health supports and services for more than four 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.

- 30 -