Uxbridge celebrates two health facility milestones
by The Standard | December 2nd, 2021 Podcast https://thestandardnewspaper.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Ux-Two-Health-Milestones-Dec-2nd-2021.mp3
DAN CEARNS, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, for The Standard
UXBRIDGE: The Uxbridge community celebrated a couple of health-related milestones, on Friday, November 26th.
The first was the opening of the Oak Tree Medical Centre, on Campbell Drive, next to the Uxbridge hospital.
Oak Valley Health CEO Jo-Anne Marr said the design of this new facility is consistent with the company’s goal of “providing care beyond our walls.”
“With an impressive 37,000 square feet of state of the art space, the centre will service more than 30,000 patients annually,” Ms. Marr stated. She added there are some benefits to the location of the new facility.
“Having the building in such close proximity to the hospital allows the physicians who work in the family practice unit, as well as in the emergency department and the inpatient unit of the hospital, to care for the patients seamlessly and to train and collaborate with one another.”
Dr. Jennifer Wilson explained how this new building is different than other medical centres.
“This medical centre is very unique. It’s an innovative model, based on interdependent leadership between primary care, the foundation of strong health systems, and hospital care. As we seek to rebuild our health systems post-COVID-19, we, here in Uxbridge, are leading the way,” she said.
The second announcement, made by MPP Peter Bethlenfalvy, was, Oak Valley Health has moved to Stage 2 of the capital planning process, for the redevelopment project of the Uxbridge Hospital.
“This project will replace aging infrastructure with a new, modern hospital facility, and increase capacity, to meet growing demands, and ensure patients and families, in growing communities like Uxbridge, receive the high-quality care they need and deserve,” read a press release from MPP Bethlenfalvy’s office. “As part of the Stage 2 capital-planning process, Oak Valley Health has submitted a Functional Program, which provides details of the programs and services that will be offered at the redeveloped hospital. They are working with the Ministry to finalize the Functional Program and have it quickly approved, so they can move to the next stage of [the] redevelopment process.”
Those in attendance also got to see drawings of what the redevelopment project could look like.
“We’re going to need a lot of help to get to the next phase of this. We’re going to need a lot of support from the community as we raise money. But I know we can do it. This community gives back. We constantly give back, and I have the best job in the world because of all of you,” Mayor Dave Barton said.
Mr. Marr said, because of this development, “patients will receive the highest quality care and an extraordinary patient experience they all deserve so much in this community.”