This week Strathroy Middlesex General Hospital announced that programs like their Diabetes Education Program and Outpatient Rehabilitation Program will be heading into the community. The hospital has said that it is very challenged from a physical space perspective, and even more so as over 3,300 square feet is needed to accommodate the new MRI Suite, which has construction starting mid-April.
So moving forward in terms of programs and services that don’t need to be inside hospital walls, it has opened the door to new partnerships in the community. The Diabetes Education program will move from being within the hospital’s Ambulatory Care to leased space at the Strathroy Medical Clinic opening April 9th. The Outpatient Rehabilitation Program including Sole Science and Rapid Access Clinic will move from the 1st floor to leased space at the Shops on Sydenham Mall opening April 1st, allowing the existing Rehab space on the 1st floor of the hospital to be utilized for the new MRI Suite.
From the Hospital media release:
After careful consideration, engagement and planning, the following changes will be coming related to our programs and services:
1. Diabetes Education Program (DEP): The Strathroy site of the DEP will transition from its current location within the hospital’s Ambulatory Care location to leased space at the Strathroy Medical Clinic (SMC) building, situated above Shoppers Drug Mart at 74 Front St E. This new location will open to patients on April 9, 2024. The existing space in Ambulatory Care is being assessed and will be re-assigned to support pressing patient care space needs within the hospital.
2. Outpatient Rehabilitation Program: Relocate the SMGH Outpatient Rehabilitation Program (including Sole Science and Rapid Access Clinic) from their current location on the 1st floor of the hospital to leased space at the Shops on Sydenham on 51 Front St E. This new location will open to patients on April 1, 2024. The existing Rehab space on the 1st floor of the hospital will be utilized for the new MRI Suite. Rehabilitation services for our patients within the hospital will remain unchanged.
Leasing space in our community is the hospital’s most fiscally responsible option at this time, considering the renovation costs to re-create new space within the hospital for these programs and services would cost SMGH millions.
In addition to supporting the space needs at the hospital, we are confident that these moves will bring benefits to our patients, our programs, and the broader community we serve. By situating the Diabetes Education and Outpatient Rehabilitation programs in the community, and closer to where our patients live and work, we are reinforcing our commitment to being a visible and community-centric organization.
The benefits of this move also include:
1. Enhanced Access for Patients: The new locations at Strathroy Medical Clinic and Shops on Sydenham are both centrally located and easily accessible. This move will allow our patients to access services in a more convenient and patient-friendly setting.
2. Dedicated and Updated Facilities: Both the Strathroy Medical Clinic and the Shops on Sydenham offer updated, modern, dedicated and tailored facilities. This environment will enable our team to provide care in spaces designed for their current and future needs.
3. Expanded Services: With the relocation, we allow for the ability to potentially expand our services and programs in the future. This will allow us to better meet the needs of our community and enhance our capacity to provide care.
We want to take this opportunity to say thank you to our MHA team who were engaged and helped make this significant undertaking a reality. We also want to thank Jamie & Sue Looman of Shops on Sydenham, and Oliver Xing, Steven Wong and Susan Lewis of the Strathroy Medical Clinic for their support and partnership in making this possible.
Thank you for your continued trust in the MHA for your healthcare needs, and we look forward to continuing to provide exceptional care to our community in these new locations, in your community.
Written by: SMGH/C. Soares
