Thursday afternoon saw staff and representatives of Killarney-Turtle Mountain and Prairie Mountain Health (PMH) officially open the doors to the newly renovated Emergency Department at the Tri-Lake Health Centre.

Killarney-Turtle Mountain Mayor Janice Smith says the new ER is amazing, with a new reception area and new equipment for their staff.

"It was such a proud moment for the Tri-Lake Health Centre," shares Smith. "What a wonderful addition to our already wonderful hospital!  A new 24-hour acute care ER renovation which is absolutely beautiful!  It looks amazing!"

The new ER reception area is set up with a more efficient triage system of welcoming patients, which addresses the questions from Accreditation Canada that included, 'Do we have the correct kind of space to triage ER patients?' 'Do we have good sight lines?' 'Do we have appropriate waiting rooms, that there's confidentiality being considered?'

The upgrade was a capital project funded by PMH, and the Killarney hospital was one of three upgrades in the Westman Region: Killarney, Virden and Souris hospitals.

Smith says Prairie Mountain Health wanted all three projects completed simultaneously. "I did hear them say yesterday that our [ER] is the last to open and the first patient will be seen on Monday morning."

"It just makes one feel so proud of our facility and we have such an amazing staff who work there," she shares. "To have this new facility for them to work in to make their jobs easier makes me feel so much better.  All of us said we don't ever want to grace the doors and have to use this area but knowing that it is here for our residents and for the area is so very good."

"And also, it makes us feel that our hospital is vital to the area and is going to stay vital," adds Smith.

The Tri-Lake Health Centre is set up to be a 24-7 Emergency Centre, however due to staffing issues it is still on rotation with neighboring hospitals. "We were speaking to the staff and Prairie Mountain Health has allocated for more nurses and for more support staff, and they are working on trying to fill all of those vacancies.  Our nurses have changed to a 12-hours on and 12-hours off shift, which is more desirable in the nursing field, I'm told."

Killarney-Turtle Mountain municipality continues to partner with PMH to secure three new doctors to their health centre, all three of the prospects from the UK.  

"The physical recruitment engagement currently underway to bring additional doctors to our municipality is progressing well and according to plan," explains Mayor Smith. "Currently, three physicians are at 'offer stage' and are also at various stages of the Canadian Immigration and Licensing process."

"These activities follow three successful site visits by doctors, each of whom visited our community during the August to October [2023] time frame," she notes. "The recruitment firm we are partnered with on this engagement continues to keep us current on the search's progress."