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Maternity ward getting a makeover

New moms will soon have a state-of-the-art medical facility at their fingertips.

New moms will soon have a state-of-the-art medical facility at their fingertips.

The High River District Health Care Foundation announced the launch of its Delivering a Better Experience campaign on May 11, which will see the complete renovation and modernization of the maternity ward of the High River Hospital.

Executive director Michael Brown said the $1.4 million project will see the ward move towards a labour-delivery-recovery concept by renovating its existing space into four modern maternity suites.

“They’re going to be up-to-date modern, they’re going to be spacious, and most of all they’re going to be comfortable for moms and new babies,” said Brown.

Labour, delivery and recovery will all take place in one room rather than shuffling to different areas, he said. The rooms will also be spacious and allow room for partners, family and other visitors, he said.

There is also a proposal to include labour and delivery tubs in each room so moms have the option of water birth in the hospital, he said.

“What we’re after is the best possible care for maternity cases for moms and babies in all of our Foothills region,” said Brown.

He said the fundraising goal is $500,000 and he expects it will take about two years to achieve. The balance of the project will be covered with the Foundation’s reserve funding, so bringing in more than $500,000 means not having to dip too deeply into reserves and ensuring funds to carry forward to future projects, he said.

To help raise the funds, he said the Health Care Foundation has partnered with the Sheep River Health Trust, as well as community groups like the Kinette Club of High River, the Longview 4H Club, the High River Hospital Auxiliary, Century 21 Foothills, and the High River Rotary Club.

It’s important to include the broader Foothills community in the fundraising, he said.

“This is a benefit to all of the communities south of Calgary,” said Brown. “It’s not just High River by any means – it’s Okotoks, Black Diamond, Turner Valley, Lonview, Nanton. And there are a lot of moms who come to the High River Hospital to have their babies from this entire area.”

Andrea Mitchell, executive director of the Sheep River Health Trust, said the board did not hesitate to partner with the Foundation on the Delivering a Better Experience Campaign.

“We believe we can provide great health care in our region, and we don’t really see High River as a line in the sand that we don’t come down and help out with,” said Mitchell. “If you look at babies in our area, they’re being born in Okotoks, Black Diamond, Turner Valley, and we think this really adds to our community. It fills a need that’s there, and we’re really happy to help with that.”

Donations can be made at the Sheep River Health Trust office, and there will be at least one event planned later in the year to raise money toward the maternity ward project, she said.

Brown said working together to create a better experience for moms and babies is helping to build the Foothills community. Having quality health care is a large draw in any centre, he said.

“We need to be able to attract young families to these communities,” he said. “We need affordable real estate, good schools, good recreation, and being able to say there’s a fabulous new maternity suite at the hospital, that’s all good.”

According to Dr. Gloria Mazoum, president of the doctors and midwives at the High River Hospital, the maternity program at the High River Hospital is a “jewel in the Foothills,” with a strong model of patient-centred care that makes it the envy of many in the province.

“We also have the only program in the province where family doctors and midwives are truly integrated and work together as part of a team to care for a patient,” said Mazoum. “The model is much envied and admired.”

The maternity care in High River has also won national awards for its patient safety program and initiatives, and is well on its way to becoming one of the first hospitals in the province to be officially designated “breastfeeding-friendly.” It is also is one of the first to offer in-hospital water birth, she said.

“With all those positives, the fact of the matter is we do need to modernize to stay current and relevant,” said Mazoum. “While our neighbours and friends want to deliver here, we need to make sure we have modern facilities for them to deliver in, as well as modern facilities for our team to work in so they can deliver optimized care.”

For more information about the program visit www.highriverhealthfoundation.ca.

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