by Mary Wilson Trider
Many people are familiar with the African proverb about how it takes a village to raise a child, and could probably talk about the different types of citizens within a village who would participate in the child’s life. Many people are also familiar with the concept of a health care team to care for a patient or resident, but I wonder how many of those people are aware of just how big the team really is.
Of course we can all identify the physicians, nurses, physiotherapists, pharmacists, lab technologists and others who deal directly with patients and residents. When we stop and think about the fact that while they are with us, patients and residents live at Almonte General Hospital and in Fairview Manor, the team expands to include staff in the Support Services departments who often aren’t seen on the front line and, without whom, the Hospital and Manor couldn’t function. For example, did you know that:
- the Hospital and Manor have over 200,000 square feet and six facilities;
- Engineering and Maintenance Department staff maintain all plant operations and facility systems, provide extensive preventative maintenance services and respond to an additional 150 work orders per month, as well as taking care of shipping/receiving, waste management, grounds and equipment/furniture moves and set up;
- housekeeping staff clean approximately 155,000 square feet of space per day and provide project services to various departments;
- the hospital operates an industrial laundry plant providing services to the hospital, nursing home, ambulance base, and external clients, including physicians and hairdressing services;
- the laundry processes over 40,000 lbs of regular linen, specialty linen and personal clothing each month;
- the Food and Nutrition department prepares and serves over 600 meals per day to patients, residents, staff, visitors and outpatients in a state-of-the-art facility, using fresh ingredients.
Excellent, high-quality care requires a safe, welcoming and pleasant environment where patients and residents feel comfortable and where the clinical professionals have the tools they need to do their jobs.
Tidy grounds, clean buildings, fresh laundry and good food are all essential components of such an environment. The staff who provide these for the patients and residents are integral members of the care team.
Mary Wilson Trider is the President & CEO of the Almonte General Hospital/Fairview Manor
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