Province contributes money for new medical equipment
The province is kicking in $9.8 million to purchase new medical equipment for Halifax hospitals this year.
The largest piece of equipment is a Pyxis automated medication system for the Halifax Infirmary site of the QEII Health Sciences Centre, to make dispensing medication faster and safer. The government will contribute just over $3 million of the total cost, with donors from the QEII Foundation supporting the rest.
“These are vital pieces of medical equipment that will improve patient safety and help staff focus on better patient care,” said provincial Health and Wellness Minister Leo Glavine.
The Nova Scotia Health Authority will also buy a new, $3.6-million anaesthesia monitoring system for the QEII Health Sciences Centre. This will allow health-care staff to better monitor patients while they are under general anaesthesia or in surgery. The government will contribute $2.7 million toward the monitoring system and donors from the QEII Foundation are paying for the rest.
“The equipment being funded by government and the QEII Foundation will support safe and effective care for Nova Scotians at the province’s specialty hospital,” said NSHA chief financial officer Allan Horsburgh.
A new radiology suite at the IWK Health Centre will be set up for patients who need diagnostic imaging, cardiovascular surgery and cardiology procedures. The province will pay just over $2 million of the total $2.7 million cost, with donors from the IWK Foundation supporting the remainder.
“In addition to the $2.4 million they have contributed for these projects, our donors continue to support other priorities at the QEII,” said Bill Bean, president and CEO of the QEII Foundation.
“It is inspiring to know that, together, we are advancing the delivery of health care for this province.”
Both the Nova Scotia Health Authority and the IWK Health Centre identified these projects as priorities, along with purchasing 11 other pieces of medical equipment. These include include foetal monitors, sterilizers, operating room lights and cardiac monitoring systems.
Take: http://thechronicleherald.ca/metro/1393197-province-contributes-money-for-new-medical-equipment
