Improving Albertans' quality of life

March 23, 2007

Cooling system to be replaced at Chinook Regional Hospital

Lethbridge... Work on a $4.2-million project to replace three chiller towers at Chinook Regional Hospital is underway and will be completed by late spring. "Total replacement of the chiller towers is expensive but necessary," said , Minister of Infrastructure and Transportation. "The new cooling system at the health facility will help improve the quality of life of the patients, personnel and visitors." Alberta Infrastructure and Transportation is providing the unanticipated emergency funding to address capital needs not covered in the current budget. "The Chinook Regional Hospital is extremely important to this community and to the region," said Clint Dunford, MLA for Lethbridge-West. "Thanks to this project, people here can continue to depend on the full range of services and procedures the hospital provides." The existing system began to fail in summer 2006. Chinook Health had been setting aside funds for cooling system upgrades, but concluded the chiller towers had in fact reached the end of their useful lifespan much earlier than expected. Failure to replace the chiller towers would compromise patient comfort and jeopardized the delivery of surgical procedures due to excessive temperatures in the operating rooms. Chinook Health Board of Directors Chairman says this funding announcement will have a significant impact on Chinook Health's ability to realize a balanced budget in this fiscal year. "More importantly, it will impact the quality of patient care by allowing for timely delivery of surgical procedures and a consistent level of comfort our patients expect and deserve," Ady said. "We are very grateful that both Mr. Dunford and Minister Ouellette were so responsive to this emergent need." The Chinook Regional Hospital opened in 1988. The 277-bed facility provides a full range of services, including medicine, surgery, obstetrics, pediatrics, psychiatric services, geriatrics, and rehabilitation medicine. The chiller tower project should be complete by the end of April. Improving Alberta's health system is part of Premier 's plan to improve Albertans' quality of life. Other priorities for the government are to: govern with integrity and transparency, manage growth pressures, build a stronger Alberta and provide safe and secure communities. - 30 - Editors Note: Clint Dunford, MLA for Lethbridge-West, Robert Stratychuk, Chief Operating Officer, Chinook Health, and Jack Ady, Chinook Health Board Chairman will be available for comment at 11:30 a.m. at the Corporate Boardroom of Chinook Regional Hospital.

Media enquiries may be directed to:

Jerry Bellikka, Communications Mr. Clint Dunford Janine Ecklund, Alberta Infrastructure and MLA for Lethbridge -West Communications Transportation (403) 329-4644 Chinook Health (780) 415-1841 (403) 388-6603 office To call toll-free within Alberta dial 310-0000. (403) 894-6603 cell

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