Ambulatory care refers to health services that are delivered on an outpatient basis through scheduled appointments. A patient visits a center for services including diagnosis, treatment, patient education, and at times follow-up, and returns home the same day.

“I’m extremely pleased with our government’s decision to accelerate the architectural design and construction of this stage of the QEH Redevelopment project,“ said Minister Currie. “The new Ambulatory Care Center will provide multiple benefits for Islanders by integrating services in one location of the hospital, improving staff efficiencies, and easing pressures in the Emergency Department. This ties in with our overall vision for an integrated, sustainable health system.”

Currently, many ambulatory patients requiring procedures such as blood transfusions, intravenous medications, or complex dressing changes must schedule an appointment and go to the Emergency Department for these services. The new Ambulatory Care Center will provide these types of scheduled procedures, which will free space in the Emergency Department and help reduce staff pressures.

“The Ambulatory Care Center is a major component of the overall QEH Redevelopment and moving this stage forward is very good news for Islanders and QEH staff,” said Rick Adams, QEH, executive director. “The new centre will centralize many of the ambulatory services currently available at the QEH and also allow for expanded ambulatory services.”

The Ambulatory Care Center will provide a broad range of outpatient services such as blood collection, cardiac stress tests and lung function tests, various speciality clinics for medical and surgical patients, an asthma education center, health information center, eye clinic, endoscopy and cystoscopy procedures, and an area for patients having minor surgical procedures that do not require a formal operating room.

Ambulatory Care Centers are emerging here on PEI and at leading hospitals throughout Canada as they play an increasingly important role in the delivery of health care and provide many benefits to patients and their families. The centers are typically designed to make the services accessible and easy to find.

The new Ambulatory Care Center is included in Phase One of QEH Redeployment and construction was initially planned to begin in approximately the spring of 2012. The decision to accelerate this stage will advance the beginning of construction by about 18 months.