Students not left out of the new hospital

By Lyndi-Colleen Morgan

The CEO of Windsor Regional Hospital said students will not be left out of the transition process of the new acute care facility being built in Windsor.

David Musyj is the CEO of Windsor Regional Hospital. He is part of the team helping to make the new hospital a reality. He said although the building of the facility is not under way, plans to prepare the Windsor community for the transition are being prepared.

Musyj said the new facility is in the first stage of the five stage process which could decide the speed at which the hospital plans move forward.

“We’re at a very critical part of the process because when you move to stage two you take away ‘the if you are going to have a new facility,’” said Musyj.

The new hospital will serve the citizens of Windsor and those living in the surrounding areas. It will include changes to the current facility and to the Windsor healthcare system. The new centre will be located on the southeast side of County Road 42 and Concession 9.

A lawsuit has been launched by Citizens for an Accountable Mega-Hospital Planning Process to try and stop the building of the hospital outside the downtown core.

Musyj said the lawsuit could delay preparations for the hospital and affect time components of the planning and the possibility of losing government funding.

“There is a limited amount of provincial capital resources available so we are competing with Muskoka, with Ottawa, with Niagara, with Scarborough and with Durham for new hospital projects,” said Musyj.

He said guidelines were set in place at the beginning of the selection process that may help with the lawsuit. The hospital will work to meet the required time frames to receive government funding.

Musyj also said helping citizens and staff at facilities who are involved in the project will be part of the transition process.

Students who conduct their placements at the current facilities will be made part of the transition process, and said he considers them they  part of the future acute care facility.

Currently the hospital collaborates with both St. Clair College and the University of Windsor as placement sites for programs including nursing, respiratory therapy and paramedics.

“We’re all in this together,” said Waseem Habash, the vice president of academics at  St. Clair College. “The college, the university and the hospitals, we are all in this community to help our community be successful and to help our students earn jobs.”

Habash said St. Clair College is looking forward to working with Windsor Regional Hospital to create a formula of teaching that will use the new facilities and technology that will come with it.

Students, depending on the medical program are required to obtain a certain number of clinical hours in order to graduate. Habash said there will be opportunities for the students to do placements at the facility once it is built. He also said St. Clair College will  provide students with the necessary skills to succeed in this atmosphere.

“We are part of the community and we are here to support our community partners like Windsor hospital,” said Habash. “We are also here to support our students, first and foremost, making sure they are getting the best education and making sure that they are ready to be employed when they graduate.”

Leah Dalm is a first year student in the registered practical nursing program at St. Clair College. She said the addition of the new medical facility is good not only to Windsor but the region. She also sees the new facility as a resource which can be beneficial in the teaching of students in medical programs.

“When new technology can be used to teach students it is not only the students who will benefit, but the patients they will be helping,” said Dalm.”I think this new hospital will offer experiences to students that will benefit them when they graduate.”

Dalm said if given the opportunity she would like to learn in the facility and someday work there.

Musyj believes although the acute care facility is in its early stages, it is important to consider the future and the changes that are coming.

“As we move forward with our care delivery model changes and continued preparation for a single site acute care facility we continue to engage with our partners at St. Clair College and the University of Windsor on many initiatives leveraging their expertise from an academic and research perspective as well as working collaboratively to ensure that the curriculum aligns with the rapid changes in healthcare,” said Musyj.

Musyj said if all the necessary work is completed in a timely manner, the first stages of construction for the new facility are expected to take place in seven years.