TORONTO — The Ontario government is connecting critically ill newborns and their families in the Toronto area to better, more convenient neonatal intensive care by supporting Unity Health Toronto with the planning, design and implementation of their relocated Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at St. Michael’s Hospital.
“Under the leadership of Premier Ford, our government is making record investments in Ontario’s hospitals to connect more people to care closer to home,” said Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “By investing in improvements to St. Michael’s NICU, newborn patients and their families can receive the highest standard of care during their most critical time and continue to access the care they need, where they need it, for years to come.”
Good to be back at St. Michael’s Hospital in #Toronto to announce our government is expanding the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit.
This larger space will ensure hundreds of families can connect to world-class, life saving care.
Learn more: https://t.co/JdfSyzudma pic.twitter.com/zgA17YpaLE
— Sylvia Jones (@SylviaJonesMPP) February 22, 2024
Through this investment, over 12,000 square feet of space will be renovated and the entire NICU unit of bassinets will be relocated to a larger space at the new patient care tower at St. Michael’s Hospital. Additional benefits of the project will include:
- Enhanced infection prevention and control measures to ensure the health and safety of critically ill newborns.
- More private rooms to address privacy concerns and create lower stimulus environments for newborn patients.
- Expansion of the NICU to accommodate state-of-the art design standards and provide more space for specialized care.
As a next step, the ministry is working with Unity Health Toronto to complete early planning and design for this project. A construction schedule will be confirmed once future planning is complete and a project contract is tendered and awarded.
St. Michael’s NICU, works with other partners to provide collaborative specialty care for critically ill and at-risk newborns in Toronto and the GTA. The program also accepts transfers of newborns from other areas of the province.
Through Your Health: A Plan For Connected and Convenient Care, Ontario is making it easier and faster for people of all ages to connect to the care they need, where and when they need it.
Quick Facts
- Ontario’s investments over the next 10 years will lead to over $48 billion in health infrastructure across the province, adding approximately 3,000 new beds.
- Ontario is investing an additional $330 million each year in pediatric health services to connect children and youth to more convenient and high-quality care close to home at hospitals, clinics and community-based health care facilities across Ontario. With this new investment, over 100 high-priority initiatives will be quickly implemented to ensure children and youth in every corner of the province can connect to emergency care, surgeries, ambulatory services, diagnostic imaging, and mental health services.
- In Ontario, there are 52 NICUs in 44 hospital systems across the province.
- Visit Health811 online or call 811 (TTY: 1-866-797-0007 toll free) for health advice and information 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Quotes
“This investment from the Ontario government for a new, expanded neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at St. Michael’s Hospital will allow us to improve the care and health outcomes for babies requiring the highest level of care, and the care experiences of their families. This project will also support provincial critical care capacity through clinical education and training of the next generation of NICU specialists in Ontario. Thank you to the Ontario government for supporting some of our youngest and smallest patients.”
– Dr. Tim Rutledge
President and CEO of Unity Health Toronto
SOURCE Province of Ontario
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