Category #equipment   Show all

  • Summer 2024 - Quarterly Project Update

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    Download the printable Summer 2024 Quarterly Project Update (images are included).

    Where we’re at

    Northern Health gets the keys on August 20!

    PCL will officially transfer ownership of the new hospital to Northern Health on Tuesday, August 20. Note that this doesn’t mean the new hospital is now operational; rather, it means Northern Health can now undertake the next phase of work: activation work towards becoming operational. Staff and physicians are getting excited to see the inside of the hospital for the first time! They’ll get a chance to have a sneak peek of the new building the following Friday and Saturday. These brief tours are not considered orientation; almost a full month (Oct. 15 to Nov. 18) has been set aside for much of the staff and physician orientation and training in the new facility.

    See project progress from May 2021 until now

    Check out the latest construction time-lapse video!

    Recent milestones:

    • Local artist Alison Johansen is donating four of her beautiful paintings to the new facility; these will add colour and interest to the walls.
    • Some new pathways outside the hospital are complete (see second timelapse photo above), and landscaping has started for some areas outside of the hospital.
    • Efforts to recruit more physicians and staff continue.
    • Several new state-of-the-art diagnostic machines, both large and small, have arrived at the new hospital – see articles below for more detail.


    Where we’re going

    Key move dates:

    • Mon. Nov. 18 to Sat. Nov. 23: Phased move of some clinical and all non-clinical spaces.
    • Sunday, November 24: The big day! Patients are moved; final equipment move takes place.

    Activation and move planning: An update from Anne Chisholm, MMH Project Transition and Move Coordinator

    The transition to the new hospital requires that the building becomes a functional hospital ready to provide patient care on the first day of the patient move. Activation is about the practical process of physically moving contents, stocking the building with equipment and supplies, and relocating patients from the existing hospital to the new facility.

    Our activation strategy integrates building and operational readiness by identifying, organizing, and facilitating planning activities needed to bring the new facility to life, while maintaining the continuity of operations at the current hospital and minimizing downtime and risks to patient care activities throughout the transition period.

    Our planning integrates environmental services, facility maintenance, biomedical engineering, materials management and logistics, protection services, IMIT, clinical scenarios testing, operational workflow simulations, emergency preparedness, orientation and training, communication and public relations, the physical move plan, and the patient transfer plan.


    Recent highlights

    New diagnostic imaging machines arrive

    Three major new pieces of equipment have arrived: a new CT scanner was delivered at the end of May, a SPEC-CT machine arrived in June, and a new MRI arrived from Germany on July 22.

    “All the machines represent the latest technology to provide patients in the Northwest with the most advanced imaging without having to travel to a larger centre,” said Marina Downs, Diagnostic Imaging Manager, Mills Memorial. “This will support our core values to provide care closest to home.”

    The combined value of the three new state-of-the-art machines, which replace older equipment that was approaching the end of its life, is just under $5 million. The machines were funded as part of the overall hospital project by the North West Regional Hospital District and by the BC Ministry of Health through Northern Health.

    For full details, check out this post (https://letstalk.northernhealth.ca/mmh/news_feed/draft-ct-scanner) on Let’s Talk.

    Other new equipment will provide state-of-the-art care closer to home

    In addition to the large machines mentioned above, the new hospital will boast several other new pieces of diagnostic equipment:

    • New mammogram equipment and two new x-ray rooms
    • One new fluoroscopy room (fluoroscopy is used for studies like barium swallows)
    • Three new ultrasound machines, bringing the total to six
    • One new portable x-ray machine, bringing the total to two
    • One new C-arm (portable fluoroscopy machine) for the operating rooms, bringing the total to two. This machine makes it possible for physicians to do scans for bone injuries and other conditions during surgeries.


    Celebrating MMH through stories

    During the past 80 years, MMH has been part of many stories of joy, hope, change, and loss. As we look forward to the new hospital, let’s honour those special moments! Help us remember the existing Mills Memorial Hospital in Terrace and all those who have worked and received care there. Go to Let’s Talk MMH to learn more, or download the story submission form.


    Interested in working at the new hospital?

    Several positions need to be filled at the current and future hospital, including clinical, support services, administration, and more! For more info and a list of job opportunities, download the MMH employment flyer. Or, go to NH Careers to search for current openings.


    Learn more!

    There are a couple of ways you can find out more about this exciting project:

    • Go to letstalk.northernhealth.ca/MMH – it’s your one-stop shop for everything related to the Mills Memorial Hospital Replacement project. The site features regular project updates, a link to the construction camera, and more.
    • Email letstalkMMH@northernhealth.ca with your questions and comments. We’re always happy to hear from you!

  • New MRI, CT, and SPECT-CT machines arrive at the new hospital

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    The new hospital currently nearing completion in Terrace has received three major new pieces of equipment that will help provide excellent care closer to home for people in the Northwest.

    A new CT scanner was delivered at the end of May, a SPECT-CT machine arrived in June, and a new MRI arrived from Germany on July 22.

    “All three machines represent the latest technology to provide patients in the Northwest with the most advanced imaging without having to travel to a larger centre,” said Marina Downs, Diagnostic Imaging Manager, Mills Memorial. “This will support our core values to provide care closest to home.”

    “SPECT and MRI are regional services that Mills provides,” she added. “We support the whole Northwest for these two services. CT is pretty common now; for example, Prince Rupert has one and Smithers has one. Terrace does still support a large amount of regional patients for CT.”

    The combined value of the three new state-of-the-art machines, which replace older equipment that was approaching the end of its life, is just under $5 million. The machines were funded as part of the overall hospital project by the North West Regional Hospital District, and by the BC Ministry of Health through Northern Health.

    The new CT scanner is shown inside the new hospital, complete with a virtual skylight to help
    patients feel more relaxed while being scanned.

    More about the new equipment:


    • CT scanner:
      • CT stands for “computed tomography,” which is a way of making 3D images of the inside of the human body.
      • CT scanners use X-rays to create detailed cross-sectional images of the body, providing information about bone structures, soft tissues, and blood vessels.
    • SPECT-CT:
      • SPECT-CT machines combine two types of scans: single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and computed tomography (CT), creating highly defined 3D images of the inside of the body.
      • This type of machine provides functional information that other imaging options can’t provide. SPECT-CTs are especially useful for detecting abnormal or cancerous cells and assessing musculoskeletal issues.
    • MRI:
      • MRI stands for “magnetic resonance imaging.”
      • MRI machines use a strong magnetic field and radio waves to create detailed images of our bodies’ internal structures. They excel at giving us images of soft tissues, organs, and the brain.
      • Terrace’s new MRI machine can scan a patient’s whole body, including capturing from 100 to 100,000 images per study.

    “Regional operation teams assessed the benefits of replacing the machines now to reduce any impact to regional patients and determined that it made more sense to get the new machines now,” said Marina. “For example, there would be replacement costs to install a new MRI machine because they’re large and complex, including some construction. To install new machines now means we can seamlessly move from our old hospital to the new hospital with only limited downtime.”

    The space for the new MRI machine during construction. Michael King, Construction Manager at PCL, explained in a recent LinkedIn post that these machines must be installed in a copper-lined room to protect against magnetic interference.

    The MRI machine arrives in its new home (which also features a virtual skylight) on July 22. “Planning for the installation of an MRI machine is a meticulous process,” said Michael King, Construction Manager at PCL.