Facilities

RFQ issued for Humber River’s ‘digital hospital’

TORONTO – Infrastructure Ontario and Humber River Regional Hospital have released a request for qualifications (RFQ) to design, build, finance and maintain its new acute-care hospital.

The new hospital will have capacity for 656 beds, 3,300 staff and approximately 600 physicians. It will enable Humber River to provide an even more comprehensive range of services to support inpatient and outpatient hospital programs, including:

• Expanded emergency services;
• Increased specialized outpatient services;
• Modern diagnostic equipment for better patient diagnosis and treatment; and
• Updated infectious disease containment systems to monitor and prevent a broad range of infections.

“We are thrilled to reach this important milestone in our plan to design and build Ontario’s first digital hospital,” said Dr. Rueben Devlin (pictured), President and CEO of Humber River Regional Hospital. “It will be a lean, green building, incorporating the latest in environmental sustainability concepts. It will be patient, family and community-friendly, bringing a new way of thinking to hospital design in Ontario.”

The design and construction of the new hospital will contribute to a healthy environment and, by extension, patient and community health. The project will adhere to the guidelines and sustainability principles of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system, with a goal of achieving the highest possible LEED certification.

LEED buildings focus on healthy indoor environments, reduced greenhouse gas emissions and efficient use of energy, water and other resources.

The RFQ is the first step in the process to select a team to design, build, finance and maintain the hospital, which will be located on the Province’s Downsview Complex – consisting of approximately 27 acres – at Keele Street and Wilson Avenue in Toronto.

RFQ submissions will be reviewed to pre-qualify project teams with the design, construction and facilities management experience, as well as the qualified personnel and the financial strength to deliver a project of this size and complexity.

These teams will then be invited to respond to a request for proposals, expected to be released in fall 2010.

Infrastructure Ontario and the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care are working with Humber River Regional Hospital to build the new facility, which will remain publicly owned, publicly controlled and publicly accountable.

Infrastructure Ontario is a Crown corporation dedicated to managing some of the province’s larger and more complex infrastructure renewal projects - ensuring they are built on time and on budget. Visit www.infrastructureontario.ca for more information.

“Today we move another step toward greater access to healthcare,” said Monte Kwinter, MPP for York Centre. “The new hospital will be a modern, state-of-the-art facility and will bring tremendous benefits to residents in our community.”

Posted June 3, 2010