Alberta looks at building a new children’s hospital

EDMONTON – The Alberta government is spending $1 million to explore the possibility of a standalone Stollery Children’s Hospital. Along with a matching $1 million from the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation, the money will help develop a needs assessment, capital cost estimate and business case for the possible new hospital.

At an announcement, Health Minister Tyler Shandro (pictured) said the planning process is a chance to imagine a new facility that can offer emergency medical, surgical, and mental healthcare for children and adolescents.

“Alberta Health Services will first develop a needs assessment and that assessment will help us to determine if children and families will be better served by a bigger, better, brighter children’s hospital dedicated to and set apart for children,” he said.

The current Stollery Children’s Hospital was opened in 2001 and is located mostly within the University of Alberta Hospital and the Walter C. Mackenzie Health Sciences Centre in Edmonton. It is the largest Canadian children’s hospital by bed count west of Toronto.

Dr. Mark Joffe, vice-president and medical director for AHS, said the current hospital manages more than 300,000 patient visits a year from across Alberta and other parts of Canada.

“By taking a closer look at the needs of patients and families and the physical space, we can ensure that we are doing all that we can to offer world-class care in the best possible physical environment,” he said.

Alberta Health Services will begin by developing a needs assessment for a new children’s hospital, which will review what services the Stollery currently provides and if there are any gaps in services or care. It will also explore options for construction sites around the University of Alberta Hospital and the Walter C. Mackenzie Health Sciences site.

Once the needs assessment is complete, Alberta Infrastructure will hire a consultant to begin developing a business case for the project, which will include how many beds are needed to serve Alberta families into the future and what other services and programs should be included in a new children’s hospital. A high-level cost estimate will also be completed.

There’s no word on when the needs assessment for the possible new hospital is scheduled to be completed.