Mackenzie Health’s second Telephone Town Hall welcomed 10,141 listeners from Richmond Hill, Vaughan, King and nearby communities to share their feedback and experiences at Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital and learn about upcoming advancements.
Hosted by Altaf Stationwala, Mackenzie Health’s President and CEO, all residents in communities surrounding Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital and the future Mackenzie Vaughan Hospital were invited to take part in meaningful discussions about health care issues important to them. Mary-Agnes Wilson, Executive Vice-President, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Nursing Executive; Dr. Steven Jackson, Chief of Staff; and David Stolte, Vice-President, Strategy and Redevelopment, joined Stationwala on a panel to provide key updates on patient care, services, construction and hospital upgrades.
“This is an exciting time for Mackenzie Health and residents across York Region,” says Stationwala. “Our community is growing and so are we. Actively listening to the voices and experiences of the people we care for helps improve patient care, supports healthier communities, decreases emergency department wait times, increases compassionate care, and much more. Together, we can create a meaningful impact in the lives of all patients and their families.”
Community feedback focused on several themes, with a special focus on:
Emergency Department Wait Times
- 42.2 per cent of residents who joined the call were concerned about emergency department wait times. As our communities continue to grow, so do health care needs. More than 123,000 patients visited Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital’s Emergency Department and Urgent Care Centre in 2017–2018.
- Efforts over the past year to address wait times include developing an internal escalation system that identifies high-patient volumes in real-time. This system helps doctors and nurses know where to relocate staff to treat patients waiting to be seen. The ambulatory zone, which sees two thirds of daily emergency volumes, has been redeveloped to increase physical space. The Minor Treatment zone, a fast track area for patients with less serious conditions, has been relocated and expanded to increase efficiency and patient privacy with a new enclosed waiting area. Wait times are expected to decrease with the addition of the second Emergency Department at Mackenzie Vaughan Hospital, scheduled to open late 2020.
Mackenzie Vaughan Hospital
- 37.3 per cent of residents who joined the call were most interested in learning about the future Mackenzie Vaughan Hospital, set to open in late 2020.
- Mackenzie Vaughan Hospital will be the first hospital to be built in the city of Vaughan, and the first new hospital to be built in the York Region in the last 30 years. Mackenzie Vaughan Hospital will complement the care already provided at Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital. It will also be the first hospital in Canada to feature fully integrated “smart” technology systems and medical devices that can speak directly to one another to maximize information exchange.
- The new Mackenzie Vaughan Hospital will include a state-of-the-art emergency department, modern surgical services and operating rooms, advanced medical imaging, specialized ambulatory clinics and intensive care beds and approximately 90 per cent single occupancy acute-care patient rooms for infection prevention and control.
Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital and the future Mackenzie Vaughan Hospital, alongside its community-based locations, care for one of the fastest growing communities in Canada, expected to grow by 25 per cent between 2012-2027. There is an immediate need for access to critical and specialized health care services close to home.
As part of its ongoing commitment to actively listening to patient experiences and community feedback, Mackenzie Health will host the next Telephone Town Hall in 2019. Listen to the full Town Hall recording.
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About Mackenzie Health
Mackenzie Health is a dynamic regional health care provider which includes the existing Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital and the future Mackenzie Vaughan Hospital, as well as a comprehensive network of community-based services. In March 2017, the organization received its second consecutive award of Accreditation with Exemplary Standing from Accreditation Canada for its commitment to safety and quality patient care. This is the highest rating a Canadian health care provider can receive. Guided by a vision to create a world-class health experience, Mackenzie Health has an unrelenting focus on the patient and is dedicated to patient needs now and in the future. With over 500,000 residents in Southwest York Region, Mackenzie Health is proud to serve one of the fastest growing and most diverse communities in Canada. For more information, please visit mackenziehealth.com
Media contact
Michelle Stegnar
Senior Communications Consultant, Mackenzie Health
905-883-1212 ext. 7484
michelle.stegnar@mackenziehealth.ca