The Lachine Community Hospital could be transformed, but not into an “ambulatory centre”, says the President and CEO of the McGill University Health Center (MUHC), Dr.D Lucie Opatriny. “When we hospitalize [des gens] and that we have surgery patients who are still there 12 or 24 hours, it is not an ambulatory centre. »
The DD Lucie Opatrny gave an interview to Duty following serious fears expressed by the Montreal medical community and the mayor of the Lachine borough about the future of the Lachine hospital. The head of the Regional Department of General Medicine (DRMG) of Montreal, the DD Ariane Murray told him in a letter Thursday that turning the facility into an outpatient center “would be a big mistake.” A citizen mobilization march is scheduled for Saturday.
The MUHC is currently studying, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, two scenarios: that of maintaining the hospital’s community mission or changing its vocation. The DD Opatrny indicates that the Lachine hospital could become a center dealing with “less acute” and “more chronic” care, where palliative care could notably be offered. “But it wouldn’t just be outpatient services,” she said.
The center would include an operating theatre, a radiology department and laboratories. “It is certain that in this scenario, the emergency service would not welcome ambulances, she admits. These would be outpatient cases. »
In both scenarios, the Lachine hospital would have about sixty beds, more than those currently open. “It’s been two years since the number of beds used in Lachine is around 35 or 40”, specifies the DD Opatrny. The hospital, like others, is experiencing a shortage of staff.
And the modernization project?
A year ago, the Quebec government gave the green light to the modernization of the Lachine hospital. The $220 million project involves the construction of a new six-storey building, including emergency and intensive care services.
How to explain such a reversal? The DD Opatrny recalls that the mission of the Lachine hospital has been debated for a long time. “The scenario with admissions [de patients] more stable and the provision of outpatient services was considered in 2006, she says. The situation has been fragile for several years. Whatever the scenario adopted, the modernization project remains justified, according to her. “There is a great need to modernize the hospital,” she says. It takes a rebirth for Lachine. »
But the MUHC may not be in the best position to breathe new life into the hospital, if the community mission is maintained, suggests the DD Opatrny. “We are the only university hospital center that has a community hospital,” she says.
Does she believe that the CIUSSS de l’Ouest-de-l’Île-de-Montréal should take over the reins of the Lachine hospital? “We must at least consider it,” she replies, pointing out that the CIUSSS de l’Ouest-de-l’Île-de-Montréal participates in the working group on the future of the Lachine hospital.
The CEO of the MUHC indicates that a “final report” on the scenarios considered will be submitted to Quebec City within “two weeks”. The DD Opatrny ensures that all stakeholders, including the DRMG of Montreal, will be formally consulted. Discussion groups are also organized.