Government funding to improve patient monitoring system at Children's Hospital

Children's Hospital in Winnipeg

New government funding for the HSC Children’s Hospital will help to upgrade the facility’s monitoring system.

“Our government remains focused on building a brighter future, a more prosperous, more resilient, more sustainable Canada for our children and our grandchildren,” said Jim Carr, MP for Winnipeg South Centre, at a news conference on Friday.

Carr announced a federal investment of $3 million, with Health Minister Audrey Gordon announcing a provincial investment of $760,000.

Carr noted this funding will allow for the purchase of up to 20 monitors and central stations, as well as upgrades to several inpatient monitors. He said this will result in up to 26 inpatient monitor beds that will support care on three floors.

“Modern integrated remote monitoring will enable health-care providers to communicate through voice-activated systems and receive immediate notification of any vital sign monitor alarms,” Carr said.

“We recognize how vital this funding is for HSC to have the equipment and capacity to take care of these kids.”

Carr said these investments will give parents comfort in knowing their children are being looked after by dedicated professionals who have the equipment they need to do their jobs.

“This is a good new day. This looks to the future. This puts together at the same table funders and the private sector and all of those who are pulling together to work collaboratively and cooperatively to make lives better,” he said.

Gordon said that families rely on health-care facilities to have the proper tools to “monitor juvenile patients, predict their medical events before they happen, and produce better patient outcomes.”

“The new upgraded system will help health-care staff to do just that,” she said.