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p28 weekender september 30 1995 st i health shorter patient stays the norm at markham stouffville by kate gilderdale correspondent as hospitals move towards a more patient- centred approach to health care there is greater emphasis on shorter patient stays and optimum use of existing facilities at markham stouffville hospitalthe day surgery and surgical procedure unit on the main floor have recently undergone extensive renovations designed to maximize efficiency and minimize patient inconvenience we came to this idea of a onestop shopping con cept about a year and a half ago at thesame time the maternalchild pro gram planned their reno vation explained molly willis the hospitals director of the postopera tive program who has worked in close collabora tion with the director of the surgical program janet roberts to affect the changes the new area will serve as the main reception for day surgery surgical assessment clinic outpa tient laboratory cardio respiratory services and the surgical procedure unit with increasing numbers of people being treated on an outpatient basis we took it from the patients perspective said willis rust control system we wanted them to be able to come to one area for preoperative service and come back to the same place to be serviced on the day of their surgery each time a patient comes in there will be familiar faces and we will have all their paperwork right there which makes things more efficient secretarial staff have been crosstrained to deal with multiple procedures for the various depart ments its on our main level so it has easy access to the front entrance and all of the main testing areas that surgical patients may have to attend willisnoted we have a large wait ing area which we didnt have before and reception is 6peri from 7 am to 430 pm jvyith day surgery open until 6 pm the waiting area is relaxing and com fortable more reminiscent of a hotel than a health care facility natural light streams in from a wall of windows overlooking an attractive courtyard and the atmosphere is calm and pleasant l nurses on the floor use the same teaching plan to give patients consistent reenforcement i think yve probably prepare our patients better than we used to with the focus on preparation education and support janet roberts annual maintenance program can be applied in any weather o creeps through seams crevices recommended by more fleets and auto clubs than anyone else krown works on new cars used cars even rusty cars bill moxley will bring his mobile unit to uxbridge oct 37 please call collect to book your appointment v we look forward to seeing our many repeat customers new customers most welcome 705 3248472 7d53280998 eve cranberries liiiilltl opcxrn a uniqufe craft show november 29 26 6018 main st stouffville for inquires call 6403070 stouffville 37 winona drive 642271 2 across from canadian tire stouffville its our 5tn anniversary come celebrate on october 1st 1995 l 10 am to 4 pm automatic only you mike shawn about 65 per cent of our patients are day surgery patients now explained roberts sprite things that have been tra ditionally done in the operating room are now being done in our procedie units or clinical type set- tings the area also has a surgical care coordinator who meets patients before surgery- to do a thorough assessment and to pro vide education oh preoperative r i township of uxbridge parks and recreation j l i i i i i p a day activities i monoct2 i swim uxpool 1030 am 1130 am movie arena 1145 am- 130pm slate arena 1 30pm 230 pm thursnq162 skate arena 1 1 00 am 1200 noon movie arena 1200 noon 200 pm swim uxpool200 pm 300 pm i i i i i i i l passport whole day 450 150movie lbbskate u0swim passports available at the uxpool call 8527831 and postoperative procedures including home care roberts added nurses on thfc floor use the same teaching plan to give patients con sistent reenforcerrient i think we probably prepare our patients bet ter than we used to with the focus on preparation education and sup port lb add to the comfort level guide lines on drinking clear fluids before surgery have been relaxed depending on the patients age and type of surgery and patients are often walked to the operating room instead of being wheeled in 0 we have built two cystoscopy units one is an operating room the other is a combined cys toscopycolposcopy unit roberts said adding that such services are much needed to meet the specific health needs of women in york region multipurpose rooms also provide alternative locations for minor sur gical procedures often cutting down on the time patients have to spend in the hospital while maxi mizing the use of available facili- ties we can move some procedures out of the operating room and free up more time for other proce dures said roberts our long term goal is to have crosstrained staff between the or and the surgical procedure unit in the next few months torisiliec- tomieswill be performed in the day surgery area to eliminate the need for overnight stays were also looking at expanding orthopedic and ear nose and throat services over the next year roberts noted the response from patients to shorter stays has been very posi tive people rest better at home and they can sleep in their own bed the night before surgery willis said were creating a customized video for day surgery patients to relieve anxiety by showing them exactly what they can expect every step of the way vas well a day surgery lounge is provided where patients can change arid watch television in comfort announcing- change of nam and location of stouffxhk veutk centre for massage shiatsu reflexology imperial centre 37 sandiforo drive suite 303 stouffville ontario l4a 7x5 ifcte 6424237