Lakeridge Health Whitby
Encyclopedia
Lakeridge Health Whitby is a clinic
in Whitby, Ontario
, offering specialized health services to the Durham Region.
for the town of Whitby on December 17, 1969, named the Dr. J.O. Ruddy General Hospital. The complex was a combined medical and psychiatric hospital
, the first in North America
. The hospital maintained a high ranking from the Canadian Council on Health Services Accreditation since it was first surveyed in 1971, receiving a four-year 'distinction' accredation in 1995. The hospital was re-named Whitby General Hospital in 1987.
In 1998 the hospital, along with Memorial Hospital Bowmanville, North Durham Health Services, and Oshawa General Hospital, were placed under the administration of the Lakeridge Health Corporation
, an amalgamation completed under the Common Sense Revolution
of the Mike Harris
administration. The government had created the Health Services Restructuring Committee and, under their recommendation, the Lakeridge Corporation was to place the town of Whitby under the service of Lakeridge Health Oshawa
and would close Whitby General. However, the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care
reversed this decision in 2001 and allowed the complex to stay open, albeit not as a full-service hospital but a specialty clinic
.
, dementia
care and dialysis
services to the Durham Region. Other services, such as the day hospital, offer rehabilitation
to those who have suffered from strokes or brain injuries
. A 16-bed geriatric assessment unit was opened in 1999, which was later expanded to 32 beds in 2003. This unit offers continued, low-intensity rehabilitation for elderly individuals.
A July 2, 2007 electrical fire forced the clinic to cancel over 20 surgeries and move their 71 patients to Lakeridge Oshawa. Though the clinic was scheduled to re-open in autumn of the same year, services would not resume until April 2011.
.
A review of the current site found that as the building was created for Whitby in the 1960s, the current patient capacity would be unable to support the town's current population. In addition, to bring the building to healthcare and building codes, the review found that extensive renovations must be made to the building structure, interior structure, mechanical systems and upper levels.
The town of Whitby has therefore proposed a new hospital in the recently developed north Whitby, to service the town and north Oshawa
. As a short-term solution, a February 2006 request for $17.5 million for the current location's infrastructure was submitted by the Lakeridge Corporation to the Ministry of Health.
In November 2007, Liberal health minister George Smitherman
remarked that he was not committing himself to a new hospital in Whitby. He added that Whitby should seek funds for the hospital from MP Jim Flaherty
, as it under was Flaherty that the hospital closed.
Clinic
A clinic is a health care facility that is primarily devoted to the care of outpatients...
in Whitby, Ontario
Whitby, Ontario
Whitby is a town in Durham Region. Whitby is located in Southern Ontario east of Toronto on the north shore of Lake Ontario, and is home to the headquarters of Durham Region...
, offering specialized health services to the Durham Region.
History
The clinic originally was opened as a full-service hospitalHospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
for the town of Whitby on December 17, 1969, named the Dr. J.O. Ruddy General Hospital. The complex was a combined medical and psychiatric hospital
Psychiatric hospital
Psychiatric hospitals, also known as mental hospitals, are hospitals specializing in the treatment of serious mental disorders. Psychiatric hospitals vary widely in their size and grading. Some hospitals may specialise only in short-term or outpatient therapy for low-risk patients...
, the first in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. The hospital maintained a high ranking from the Canadian Council on Health Services Accreditation since it was first surveyed in 1971, receiving a four-year 'distinction' accredation in 1995. The hospital was re-named Whitby General Hospital in 1987.
In 1998 the hospital, along with Memorial Hospital Bowmanville, North Durham Health Services, and Oshawa General Hospital, were placed under the administration of the Lakeridge Health Corporation
Lakeridge Health Corporation
The Lakeridge Health Corporation is the governing body of hospitals in the Ontario towns of Oshawa, Whitby, Scugog and Clarington. The organization was created in November 1997 to oversee Memorial Hospital Bowmanville, North Durham Health Services , Oshawa General Hospital and Whitby General...
, an amalgamation completed under the Common Sense Revolution
Common Sense Revolution
The phrase Common Sense Revolution has been used as a political slogan to describe common sense conservative platforms in Australia and the U.S. state of New Jersey in the 1990s. Based on the Singapore Model of economics, its main goal is to reduce taxes while balancing the budget by reducing the...
of the Mike Harris
Mike Harris
Michael Deane "Mike" Harris was the 22nd Premier of Ontario from June 26, 1995 to April 15, 2002. He is most noted for the "Common Sense Revolution", his Progressive Conservative government's program of deficit reduction in combination with lower taxes and cuts to government...
administration. The government had created the Health Services Restructuring Committee and, under their recommendation, the Lakeridge Corporation was to place the town of Whitby under the service of Lakeridge Health Oshawa
Lakeridge Health Oshawa
Lakeridge Health Oshawa, formerly Oshawa General Hospital, is a hospital located in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. It was founded in August 1910 in a two-story building, and major additions were made in the 1920s...
and would close Whitby General. However, the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care
Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (Ontario)
The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care is the Government of Ontario ministry responsible for administering the health care system and providing services to the province of Ontario...
reversed this decision in 2001 and allowed the complex to stay open, albeit not as a full-service hospital but a specialty clinic
Clinic
A clinic is a health care facility that is primarily devoted to the care of outpatients...
.
Recent history
The clinic currently offers palliative carePalliative care
Palliative care is a specialized area of healthcare that focuses on relieving and preventing the suffering of patients...
, dementia
Dementia
Dementia is a serious loss of cognitive ability in a previously unimpaired person, beyond what might be expected from normal aging...
care and dialysis
Dialysis
In medicine, dialysis is a process for removing waste and excess water from the blood, and is primarily used to provide an artificial replacement for lost kidney function in people with renal failure...
services to the Durham Region. Other services, such as the day hospital, offer rehabilitation
Physical therapy
Physical therapy , often abbreviated PT, is a health care profession. Physical therapy is concerned with identifying and maximizing quality of life and movement potential within the spheres of promotion, prevention, diagnosis, treatment/intervention,and rehabilitation...
to those who have suffered from strokes or brain injuries
Traumatic brain injury
Traumatic brain injury , also known as intracranial injury, occurs when an external force traumatically injures the brain. TBI can be classified based on severity, mechanism , or other features...
. A 16-bed geriatric assessment unit was opened in 1999, which was later expanded to 32 beds in 2003. This unit offers continued, low-intensity rehabilitation for elderly individuals.
A July 2, 2007 electrical fire forced the clinic to cancel over 20 surgeries and move their 71 patients to Lakeridge Oshawa. Though the clinic was scheduled to re-open in autumn of the same year, services would not resume until April 2011.
Proposed re-opening
Recent population growth in Durham has caused some to call for the re-opening of the clinic as a full service hospital, a movement garnering support from both municipal and provincial levelsGovernment of Ontario
The Government of Ontario refers to the provincial government of the province of Ontario, Canada. Its powers and structure are set out in the Constitution Act, 1867....
.
A review of the current site found that as the building was created for Whitby in the 1960s, the current patient capacity would be unable to support the town's current population. In addition, to bring the building to healthcare and building codes, the review found that extensive renovations must be made to the building structure, interior structure, mechanical systems and upper levels.
The town of Whitby has therefore proposed a new hospital in the recently developed north Whitby, to service the town and north Oshawa
Oshawa, Ontario
Oshawa is a city in Ontario, Canada, on the Lake Ontario shoreline. It lies in Southern Ontario approximately 60 kilometres east of downtown Toronto. It is commonly viewed as the eastern anchor of both the Greater Toronto Area and the Golden Horseshoe. It is now commonly referred to as the most...
. As a short-term solution, a February 2006 request for $17.5 million for the current location's infrastructure was submitted by the Lakeridge Corporation to the Ministry of Health.
In November 2007, Liberal health minister George Smitherman
George Smitherman
George Smitherman is a Canadian politician and broadcaster. He represented the provincial riding of Toronto Centre in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1999 to 2010, when he resigned to contest the mayoralty of Toronto in the 2010 municipal election...
remarked that he was not committing himself to a new hospital in Whitby. He added that Whitby should seek funds for the hospital from MP Jim Flaherty
Jim Flaherty
James Michael "Jim" Flaherty, PC, MP is Canada's Minister of Finance and he has also served as Ontario's Minister of Finance. From 1995 until 2005, he was the Member of Provincial Parliament for Whitby—Ajax, and a member of the Progressive Conservative Party caucus...
, as it under was Flaherty that the hospital closed.
See also
- Lakeridge Health OshawaLakeridge Health OshawaLakeridge Health Oshawa, formerly Oshawa General Hospital, is a hospital located in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. It was founded in August 1910 in a two-story building, and major additions were made in the 1920s...
- Lakeridge Health Port PerryLakeridge Health Port PerryLakeridge Health Port Perry is a hospital located in Port Perry, Ontario. The hospital currently services the townships of Scugog, Brock and Uxbridge in Durham Region....
- Lakeridge Health BowmanvilleLakeridge Health BowmanvilleLakeridge Health Bowmanville is a hospital in Bowmanville, Ontario servicing the municipality of Clarington. It is run by Lakeridge Health, part of the Central East Local Health Integration Network....