By Angela Hill

Victoria Hospital’s future is lean

Jun 13, 2011 | 6:28 AM

Planning for the future of Victoria Hospital is getting leaner.

The Ministry of Health has asked the Prince Albert Parkland Health Region to look at their plans for the facility though a lean lense, meaning it is designed to be efficient as well as patient and staff friendly.

The trend in the province is not only looking at making sure processes in the health system are lean, but that the principles are being applied to integrated facility design as well.

Learning that they will have to take their designs and blueprints through the lean strategy will mean more time spent in the design stage, said John Piggott, vice-president of operations.

“It does push us back in terms of it will take longer … From our perspective, and perception of need, we feel that we could benefit from a renovated and expanded building now.”

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They’ll track the steps of employees in the current hospital and look at how patients move through the departments.

But, taking the time to prove the facility is lean by an operating standpoint isn’t all bad news.
It could mean that the region could get a new hospital, said Piggott.

It may turn out that building new will be the easiest way to achieve a lean hospital, but a new facility would take more time to see results, he said and added that the current hospital has good life left in it.

The plan sent to the ministry was set to renovate and add onto the existing facility. So as one part opened and was moved into, another would undergo changes.

The health region is in consultation with the Ministry of Health over additional funding for the added planning, Piggott said.

They’ve been in constant communication with the province, he said.

“The support we’ve had and continue to have from the ministry means that they recognize that we have needs here and they want to walk with us towards getting an approved … project.”

He said they hope to have new plans in place by the 2012-13 fiscal year.

According to the ministry, many projects in the province are using lean strategies and soon it will be mandatory for all new facility design and significant renovations.

ahill@panow.com