A first of its kind in Nova Scotia, a new transitional healthcare centre, is coming to the Halifax area and is being called a ‘gamechanger’.
West Bedford Transitional Health is for hospital patients who are no longer really sick, but not quite ready to go home.
Central Zone Medical Director for Nova Scotia Health, Christy Bussey has been a practicing physician for 15 years at the QEII.
She tells our newsroom the transition from hospital to home can get complicated for a variety of reasons.
“We have a growing population…we have increasing frailty in our population …we do certainly see that it is challenging to have all patients be ready for discharge once they’re finished what I would call the acute phase of their illness.”
Bussey says, although there is a lot of support in the community, there is still a gap in the system.
Right type of environment
Acute care is loud, disruptive, isolating and for truly sick patients.
Bussey says, it is not an environment for those who just need a little bit more time to heal.
“Maybe they’re a patient that needs, for example, a ramp built on their home now to be able to accommodate them at home. Those are patients right now that are in the hospital system. They do not want to be there, they do not need to be there, and West Bedford will offer us, for the first time, to be able to provide true transitional care.”
She adds, the new building will have big windows, lots of natural light, a common dining area, with rooms that are private and spacious.
“There’s also a cafe area downstairs where families can come in and meet with their loved ones or have a coffee.”
Who qualifies?
The criteria for who gets in, is very, very broad.
You must be 18 or older and able to benefit from the facility, which will provide a focused care plan.
An example of that, Bussey says, would be a 70-year-old who comes to the hospital with pneumonia, but after their treatment still can’t get around like they used to.
“That patient would be identified very early on as being an excellent candidate for West Bedford. They still have a physician and nurse practitioner to be there to support their medical needs…but the focus is really, truly on them having a bit more time.”
To get to the facility, Bussey says, they have partnered with Shannex who will supply transportation.
Patients arrive this week
Eight patients will arrive to West Bedford this week, with the first two setting up shop, Tuesday, with 17 by December 20 and 68 more over the coming months.
Once it is fully operational, there will be 178 patients.
Bussey says the facility will help reinforce that ‘community first’ philosophy and she is looking forward to seeing it all unfold.
