To ensure Islanders have the opportunity to learn more about recent health care system enhancements, the Department of Health and Wellness and Health PEI will be hosting community meetings across the province, says Minister of Health and Wellness Doug Currie.
“Enhancements to our health care services are about ensuring patients have better access to better care throughout every stage of their health care needs,” said Minister Currie. “These meetings will provide the opportunity for Islanders to learn about the health services available in their community and how those services fit into the province’s overall health care system.”
Schedule of meetings:
Monday, April 8, 2013 – Alberton Consolidated Elementary, Alberton 7 - 9 p.m.
Wednesday, April 10, 2013 – Souris Consolidated School, Souris 7 - 9 p.m.
Monday, April 15, 2013 – Ellerslie Elementary School, Tyne Valley 7 - 9 p.m.
Wednesday, April 17, 2013 – Royal Canadian Legion, O’Leary 7 - 9 p.m.
Monday, April 29, 2013 – Cavendish Farms Wellness Centre, Montague 7 - 9 p.m.
Recent enhancements announced to the Prince Edward Island’s health care system included enhancing the province’s robust ambulance fleet, stabilizing dialysis services, introducing the province’s first ever Collaborative Emergency Centre and establishing 811 Telehealth so that Islanders are only a phone call away from accessing professional health care advice.
Another enhancement included focusing the work of our community hospitals in the areas of acute care, extended care and long term care.
Our acute care beds treat patients with a severe injury or illness, an urgent medical condition, or those recovering from surgery. Most acute care patients need ongoing in-hospital care from a specialist.
Extended care hospitals are for inpatients who need hospital care to help restore their health so they can live independently but no longer require acute services. Extended care includes patients needing respite, restorative, convalescent or palliative care; this could include a person recovering from a stroke who needs help rebuilding their strength and mobility, or a patient who has gotten over a serious illness but still requires antibiotics intravenously.
Our extended care hospitals, Community Hospital O’Leary and Souris Hospital, will continue to offer lab and diagnostic imagining (DI) services.
Our long term care beds across the province provide a home for seniors who can no longer live independently and need daily medical and nursing supervision.
“At the heart of these changes, is the patient. We are increasing access to family physicians, reducing emergency room wait times, providing more long term care beds, and increasing access to elective surgeries. Ultimately, we are striving to create the best possible health care system for Islanders,” said Minister Currie.