North

Whitehorse hospital's new emergency department makes some adjustments

When the new, $72-million wing at Whitehorse General Hospital opened in early January, there were some hiccups.

Improvements include a reconfigured waiting area with numbering system to increase privacy near triage desk

The new emergency department wing opened to patients last month. (Mike Rudyk CBC)

The new, $72-million emergency department at Whitehorse General Hospital has had some kinks to work out. But officials say they're making the necessary adjustments.

The facility opened last month, and it was soon apparent that patients' privacy was an issue.

'It's healthcare. There is always going to be adjustments and changes, it's the nature of what we are doing,' says Cameron Heke of the Yukon Hospital Corporation. (Mike Rudyk CBC)

"Initially when we opened the new department, we were doing the triage right at the triage desk — and those conversations were happening right at the desk," says Cameron Heke, manager of communications for the Hospital Corporation.

"And what we did is, we began to actually have patients go into a private triage room and we would close the door. And that's where all the conversations are happening now."

Other improvements include a reconfigured waiting area with a numbering system to increase privacy near the triage desk.

Patient rooms have curtains and doors, including two separate trauma bays plus 15 exam rooms. (Mike Rudyk CBC)

​Adjustments also needed to be made to deal with the air flow balance at the entrance of the building, so that frigid air doesn't flood in every time the doors open. 

Heke says it was a cold January, so the hospital worked with the contractor to fine-tune the internal air balancing system.

'Always going to be adjustments'

Heke says hospital staff do their best to act on feedback from patients. He says the hospital continues to make improvements and adjustments to improve the environment for staff and patients.

Officials say hospital staff do their best to act on feedback from patients. (Mike Rudyk CBC )

"It's healthcare. There is always going to be adjustments and changes, it's the nature of what we are doing," Heke said.

"We are going to keep making changes as needed, as we go forward"

The number of emergency room visits has ranged from 32,000 and 33,000 annually, in recent years.

Construction on the new emergency room wing began in 2015. It has 17 patient rooms, including 15 exam rooms and two trauma rooms.