Manitoba Government Announces Three New Operating Rooms for Bethesda Regional Health Centre in Steinbach

Press Release

April 28, 2023

Nearly $30-Million Investment will Increase Surgical Capacity: Goertzen

STEINBACH—Three new operating rooms will be constructed as part of a new surgery department to increase surgery capacity at Bethesda Regional Health Centre, Justice Minister Kelvin Goertzen announced here today, on behalf of Health Minister Audrey Gordon.

“The nearly $30-million new surgical centre will increase surgical capacity locally and throughout the region,” said Goertzen. “This capital project will enhance the service profile of the facility in Manitoba’s third-largest city and provide the capacity for growth.”

The hospital expansion project includes:

• three operating theatres with a modern boom system for surgical and anesthesia equipment;
• pre-operative consult room and 12 patient care treatment spots for pre/post-operative care;
• sterile supply room and a surgical equipment disinfection and sterilization room;
• reception and waiting area for patients and family;
• new expanded lab to meet space requirements for modern diagnostic lab equipment;
• new cultural space to support multi-denominational services including Indigenous cultural ceremonies such as smudging; and
• expanded space to support physician and resident services including three on-call sleep rooms.

“This investment towards further expansion at Bethesda Regional Health Centre will ensure this facility continues to meet the health care needs of residents in Steinbach and surrounding communities,” said Jane Curtis, CEO, Southern Health-Santé Sud. “The completion of this project will allow for an increase in surgical capacity and support better patient care and sustainability of health-care services offered now and for many years to come.”

The announcement brings the total capital investment at the health centre to $64 million, one of the largest construction projects in the city of Steinbach’s history, the minister noted. In 2021, additional acute care medicine beds were announced including:

• fifteen new acute care medicine beds improving the site’s capacity to care for patients with a wide variety of needs including palliative and end-of-life care, chronic and cardiopulmonary disease and other medical conditions; and
• eight surgical beds, enabling the site to support additional surgical capacity in general surgery, women’s health and other targeted areas.

“This is very welcome news for the Bethesda Regional Health Centre. The expansion of surgical capacity and acute care beds will allow this facility to expand to meet the needs of the growing community it serves,” said Dr. Christo Minnaar, chief of staff, Bethesda Regional Health Centre. “This project is a significant step towards achieving our goal of providing the best possible care to our patients.”

The Bethesda Foundation has pledged $8 million towards the surgical unit and palliative beds in the expansion.

“The Bethesda Foundation is thrilled to be a supporting partner in this worthwhile project. Increasing surgical capacity at Bethesda Regional Health Centre will bring us one step closer to meeting the needs of this growing community,” said Garth Reimer, board chair, Bethesda Foundation. “The completion of this project will further strengthen the medical resources in our community and increase accessibility to specialized care closer to home.”

Construction began in August 2022 on the first phase of the project to renovate a section of the Community Services Building to establish six treatment bays for renal dialysis along with pharmacy upgrades that support the delivery of chemotherapy services. These changes will help establish the facility as a regional hub for cancer services. The first phase of the project will be finished by this summer and new renal services are planned to launch this fall. Construction on the overall project is expected to be complete by 2025.

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For more information:

• Public information, contact Manitoba Government Inquiry: 1-866-626-4862 or 204-945-3744.
• Media requests for general information, contact Communications and Engagement: newsroom@gov.mb.ca.
• Media requests for ministerial comment, contact Communications and Stakeholder Relations: 204-451-7109.

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