Simplexity

A blog by Lawrence Rosenberg, MD, PhD, President and CEO of CIUSSS West-Central Montreal

  • Français

Large or small, renovations inevitably cause headaches and ultimately bring satisfaction

July 22, 2019

A few years ago, I renovated my kitchen—and not without a certain amount of trepidation. If you’ve ever been through the process (or something comparable), you’ve felt the nervousness that comes in dealing with the dust, the disorder, the displacement and an array of logistical headaches. Can the job be put off yet again? Yes, but there comes a time when you just have to face the music. My own kitchen had seen many years of use (it was after all, the original 60 year old kitchen), which is why the paint had started to fade, the appliances weren’t working as well, and the configuration that had once seemed so perfectly designed now felt flawed.

The same goes for the healthcare and social services facilities in our CIUSSS. Of course, there’s a big difference in scale, but there’s no escaping the fact that our institutions, like our homes, become dated. Actually, in most cases, the CIUSSS’s facilities age much more quickly, given the constant flow of people into and out of these buildings.

In 2017, the time finally came for CIUSSS West-Central Montreal to bow to the inevitable and perform an exhaustive renovation on the Henri Bradet Residential Centre. Talk about a logistical challenge! Dozens of patients had to be moved into temporary quarters at the Jewish General Hospital, and then returned to Henri Bradet after two years. But the wait was worth it. The upgrade provided them with much-needed improvements, plus a renewed sense of pride and comfort in the place they call home.

And that was just for starters. Catherine Booth Hospital and the Guimont Residential Complex are currently in the middle of their own renovations. And let us not forget of the JGH’s Pavilion K, a massive project that opened in stages, starting in 2014, and has had an undeniably positive impact on staff and patients.

When my kitchen renovation was complete and the last of the dust had been swept away, I pulled my chair into the kitchen table and looked around with great pleasure at the newly updated space. Would I have preferred to avoid the hassle? Sure, who wouldn’t? But am I glad I stuck with it? No question.

That’s how I and many others feel about the challenges that confront us in our CIUSSS: Initially, they’re a burden, and afterwards, they’re a source of great pride and satisfaction. With six major renovations and numerous smaller projects undertaken since our CIUSSS came into existence in 2015, I’ll admit there have been times of stress when I’ve asked myself whether it’s all really worth the effort. But later, when I look at the smiles on the faces of healthcare users and staff, I think back to my own “kitchen-table moment” and I know for certain that the answer is Yes.

Lawrence

Dr. Lawrence Rosenberg
Dr. Lawrence Rosenberg, President and CEO of CIUSSS West-Central Montreal.

Reflections about the healthcare world.

Subscribe to our newsletter

Yes, I want to receive Simplexity News which will be sent to me at the e-mail address I have willingly provided. I understand that I can withdraw my consent at any time.

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

What I’ve been reading lately

What To Expect From Digital Health In 2018?

Trend-spotting with facts instead of a crystal ball.

Taking the Pulse of Health Care Transformation
Revealing insights from a survey conducted by the Harvard Business Review.

How Technologies Shape The Future Of Medical Conferences
Doctors may be adept at taking adventage of new technology, but they can fall behind in failing to use digital technology effectively in their own conferences.

Is There A Doctor In My Pocket?
Advances in medical technology can be painfully slow, but signs point to an imminent digital revolution in health care.

Do we really need more hospital beds?
Hallway medicine has been the shameful norm in many hospitals for years, but the problem won’t disappear simply by adding more beds, temporary or permanent.

Why And How Should We Define Digital Health?
Digital health is a cultural transformation of traditional healthcare through disruptive technologies.

Mes lectures récentes

What To Expect From Digital Health In 2018?
Utiliser les faits, plutôt qu’une boule de cristal, pour cerner les tendances en matière de soins de santé.

Taking the Pulse of Health Care Transformation
Cet ouvrage dévoile les données provenant d’un sondage effectué par le magazine Harvard Business Review.

How Technologies Shape The Future Of Medical Conferences
Bien que les médecins soient partisans de tirer parti de la nouvelle technologie, ils peuvent tarder à utiliser la technologie numérique efficacement lors leurs propres conférences.

Y a-t-il un docteur dans ma poche?
Les progrès en technologie médicale peuvent être d’une lenteur désespérante, mais des indices indiquent l’imminence d’une révolution numérique dans les soins de santé.

A-t-on vraiment besoin de plus de lits d’hôpital?
La médecine de couloir est tristement devenue la norme dans de nombreux hôpitaux, mais le problème ne sera pas réglé en ajoutant plus de lits, qu’ils soient temporaires ou permanents.

Pourquoi et comment devrait-on définir la santé numérique?
La santé numérique est un bouleversement des soins de santé traditionnels par la technologie.

Recent Posts

  • The evolution of health care: an infinite game March 3, 2020
  • 1985 January 6, 2020
  • Putting promises into practice November 15, 2019
  • Large or small, renovations inevitably cause headaches and ultimately bring satisfaction July 22, 2019
  • The fourth industrial revolution June 6, 2019

Copyright © 2022 Dr. Lawrence Rosenberg