Accredited by Accreditation Canada, the Nipigon District Memorial Hospital (NDMH) is a 37-bed facility with 15 acute care and 22 ELDCAP long-term care beds. In addition, to the in-patient services, NDMH also provides 24/7 emergency department health care outpatient lab, diagnostic imaging, physiotherapy, and telehealth services.
In House departments include Administration/Business Offices, Dietary, Health Records, Housekeeping Laundry, Maintenance, Pharmacy, and Purchasing (Stores). On site services for patients/residents include a hair salon and a multi-faith room.
As a signatory member of the Noojmawing Sookatagaing Ontario Health Team, the Nipigon District catchment area specifically serves approximately 3,400 people from Nipigon, Red Rock, Dorion, Hurkett and Lake Helen First Nation as well as the Beardmore Clinic catchment area including Beardmore, Jellicoe and Biinjitiwaabik Zaaging Anishinaabek communities.
Some More Facts About Our Hospital
NDMH is accredited by Accreditation Canada - Accreditation is a rigorous process that confirms accountability for quality by providing supporting evidence of operational practice that is in place to validate compliance with Accreditation Canada's industry standard Required Organizational Practices
As a Hospital, we are also expected to follow the legislative requirements of the Public Hospital's Act (https://www.ontario.ca/laws) and the Excellent Care for All Act (https://www.ontario.ca/laws)
As a licensed long-term care home, we are required to meet the legislative requirements and standards as itemized within the Fixing Long Term Care Homes Act (https://www.ontario.ca/laws)
NDMH is also designated as a "Best Practice Spotlight Organization" - the goal of this program is to create evidence-based practice cultures through systematic implementation and evaluation of multiple Registered Nurses Association of Ontario (RNAO) clinical best practice guidelines
NDMH is a designated francophone facility with reporting requirements as outlined in funding agreements
NDMH is also a member of Lakehead University's Centre for Health Care Ethics
Other departments at NDMH include 24/7 Emergency Department along with outpatient Lab, Diagnostic Imaging, and Physio services. In House Pharmacy, Purchasing/Stores, Maintenance, Housekeeping, Laundry, Telehealth, Business Office and Health Records.NDMH is a Patient/Resident and Family Centred Care organization putting patients/residents and their families at the centre of everything we do and involving them in decisions about their care
NDMH employs approximately 130-140 full time, part time and casual staff
Some Hospital History
In January 1949, the Red Cross Outpost Hospital was officially opened. From 1949 to 1956 the Hospital was effectively administered by the Ontario branch of the Canadian Red Cross Society. The (then) 20 bed facility also accommodated a public health wing for outpatient treatment, two operating rooms, and x-ray facilities.
In 1956, the Hospital institution went from being a Red Cross affiliate to becoming a corporation administered by a Board of Directors
Due to insufficient space, two wood frame wings with crawl spaces were added in 1968 and became operational in 1969. The Hospital now had 33 beds with 15 beds allocated for chronic/extended care
With technological advances and legislative requirements, the existing building could no longer meet the requirements and further renovations had been judged unfeasible. Limitations of the existing building had become so severe that the only alternative was to move. This meant a new building, on a new site
On March 27, 1989 the Nipigon District Memorial Hospital received approval from the Ministry of Health to build new 40 bed hospital including 18 acute care and 22 chronic/extended care beds with a medical clinic, ambulance garage, and heliport all centralized on one site
Ground breaking ceremonies were held on September 22, 1989. On December 4, 1992 residents of the surrounding communities, stakeholders, medical and hospital staff together with the Board of Directors celebrated the official opening of the new health care facility that we now call home for NDMH.
The official opening of the current NDMH facility was held December 4, 1992 making our hospital building 32 years old this year.
Long-Term Care Expansion Project
NDMH received preliminary approval for 30 additional long-term care beds.
15 new build LTC rooms
retrofitting of the current acute care wing
a new build section for relocation of a new acute care wing of 15 rooms
Because this model would impact long-term care and acute, two separate applications were needed to be submitted: one to the Ministry of Long-Term Care and one to the Ministry of Health. It has been discovered that our applications have been "shelved" with numerous concerns.
In hopes of gaining momentum and get beyond the different concerns and complications, the new management team is looking at a "Plan B", breaking the size of the expansion into smaller phases that would begin with a 18-22 new build specifically for long-term care beds.
