Behind the scenes at Brantford General Hospital’s emergency department
(Dr. Somaiah Ahmed, chief and medical director of emergency medicine for the hospital, took The Spectator on a recent behind-the-scenes tour at Brantford General Hospital - Cathie Coward The
Over the past decade, Brantford General Hospital (BGH) has experienced increased demand for emergency care. Currently, over 50,000 patients present at the Emergency Department (ED) annually to receive care. It is anticipated that these patient volumes will continue to grow to over 70,000 patient visits per year by 2030.
The hospital buildings, where the ED is located, are 64 and 56 years old. While there have been some renovations made over the last 30 years, the space is outdated and no longer meets the needs of our patients. The outdated space makes it difficult for our qualified health care professionals to do their jobs in providing the care patients need and deserve.
The Hamilton Spectator featured the challenges being faced by the Brant Community Healthcare System.
With aging infrastructure, a lack of space to expand, and rapid population growth in Brant, the emergency department has been challenged to keep up. One monster challenge is the aging and “inadequate” health-care infrastructure within the community, Dr. Somaiah Ahmed told Brant County councillors in April.
A new hospital will be an opportunity “to build and design a future health-care system that will meet the needs of our community. But while it is on the horizon, a new hospital is still years away.