The Winnipeg Regional Health Authority’s first wave of major changes is set to roll out Oct 3.

The WRHA provided media with an overview of its plans to ensure health practitioners are prepared for the changes, intended to improve quality and timeliness of patient care.

“Winnipeggers have been forced to endure some of the longest emergency wait times in Canada. Our city’s hospitals have fallen behind their counterparts when compared to the national average in other key measurements, such as length of hospital stay and access to diagnostics and specialty services,” said Kelvin Goertzen, Minister of Health, Seniors and Active Living in a statement, adding that the coming changes “will begin to address a number of the factors that have led to these poor outcomes.”

The overhaul of health services, which is being referred to as the “Healing our Health System” plan, was first announced in the spring following a 2015 report covering excessive wait times, high number of patient transfers and limited physicians and resources, across the province.

The report ‘Provincial Clinical and Preventive Services Planning for Manitoba, Doing Things Differently and Better’ was written by Nova Scotia-based health care consultant Dr. David Peachey following hundreds of conversations with Manitobans from across the province.

WRHA said changes in Phase I, many of which have been announced previously, include:

  • The conversion of Victoria Hospital’s emergency department to an urgent care centre.
  • The closure of urgent care at Misericordia Health Centre.
  • Changes to accommodate additional volumes at St. Boniface, Grace and Health Sciences Centre emergency departments, including eight new treatment spaces at St. Boniface.

In addition, the following initiatives are underway to support consolidation and improve patient flow:

  • Opening of clinical assessment units at St. Boniface and Grace hospitals and the expansion of the existing clinical assessment unit at HSC.
  • Redeployment of lab and diagnostic services.
  • Opening of 65 new transitional care beds.
  • Creation of 28 transitional care beds at Victoria Hospital to accommodate clients requiring enhanced supports.
  • Provision of intensive home care to patients as part of a new transitional home care service beginning in Nov.
  • Introduction of updated ambulance protocols to ensure paramedics are aware of which hospital is best suited to provide patient care. In many instances, ambulance protocols remain the same.
  • Ongoing conversations with union leadership regarding plans that match patient populations with the correct staffing mix and the specialized diagnostic resources needed to treat them.

WRHA said Phase II changes affecting other sites across the region will begin in spring 2018, and will involve enhancements to emergency departments and treatment spaces.

The Healing our Health System plan will support three acute-care emergency departments (Health Sciences Centre, St. Boniface Hospital and Grace Hospital); while two urgent care centres (Victoria Hospital and Seven Oaks Hospital) will provide 24/7 care for non-life threatening health concerns requiring same-day treatment

WRHA interim president and CEO Réal Cloutier said this plan will bring the city in line with successful services in other cities of the same size.

The changes will be phased in rather than implemented system wide,

In addition to the changes slated to begin next month, the WRHA said other phase I initiatives coming over the next six weeks, include:

  • The shift of mature women’s services from Victoria Hospital to Health Sciences Centre.
  • The addition of critical care beds at Grace Hospital.
  • The movement of geriatric-rehab patients from St. Boniface Hospital to Victoria Hospital.
  • The opening of a special needs behavioural unit at Deer Lodge Centre.