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St. Catharines Site marks 10 years of 'extraordinary care'

The opening of the St. Catharines Site in 2013 has changed how healthcare was delivered in Niagara, expanding access to cancer care, cardiology, neonatal programs, and other treatments
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St. Catharines Site.

Ten years ago this week, how healthcare was delivered in Niagara changed forever, and for the better, says a March 20 Niagara Health news release 

The closing of the St. Catharines General Hospital and the official opening of the St. Catharines Site on March 24, 2013, was a monumental and well-orchestrated effort years in the making, the release says.

The opening meant Niagara residents wouldn’t have to travel out of the region for a number of treatments. New and enhanced regional programs were introduced, changing how care was delivered and enabling us to advance technology and recruit and retain staff and physicians.

“It has always been very clear to me what the SCS has meant to everyone across the region,” says Lynn Guerriero, president and CEO. “A hospital is about so much more than physical buildings. It’s about the people delivering care inside those walls, the programs they facilitate and the patients our teams provide compassionate care for.”

As those at Niagara Health look forward to the next 10 years and beyond of transforming care in Niagara, they are reflecting on how the hospital opening continues to enable and inspire us to provide the extraordinary care that our community deserves.

Over the next four days, Niagara Health will be sharing stories on their blog and social media channels highlighting patient stories that illustrate how care improved as a result of the hospital opening. Highlights will include the Women, Babies and Children’s Unit, Mental Health and Addictions, Cardiology and Cancer Care.

By the numbers

Women, Babies and Children’s Unit:

The regionalization of services has supported growth from 2,748 deliveries in 2013/14 to 3,615 in 2021/22. It has also allowed Niagara Health to develop its neonatal program, expanding from a 12-bed Level 2B Special Care Nursery to a 20-bed Level 2C Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Mental Health and Addictions:

The Wellness Recovery Integrated Care program works with individuals who have complex mental health needs and experience repeat emergency department (ED) visits and re-admissions. The program had 85 clients when it launched and is now down to about 40, which speaks to its success in helping patients heal and avoid further ED visits or readmissions.

Cardiology:

The Heart Investigation Unit has performed more than 17,000 cardiac catheterization services and more than 4,300 percutaneous coronary interventions since launching in 2013. Previously, cardiac care in St. Catharines was done by three cardiologists. There is now a team of 12 cardiologists and as many as 10 research projects running in cardiac care at any given time. 

Cancer Care:

Since opening in 2013, the Walker Family Cancer Centre has supported more than 9,000 radiation therapy visits that would have otherwise taken place outside Niagara. There has also been an increased opportunity for patients in the region to receive chemotherapy treatment.