New Anna-Laberge Pavilion : Some beds open, others awaiting repairs

The new complex built next to the emergency department of Anna-Laberge Hospital in Châteauguay has been welcoming patients since March in its short-stay unit. However, the opening of the short-stay unit has been postponed due to a plumbing problem.

Translation Amanda Bennett

The new pavilion, announced in 2022, aims to improve the flow of patients in the hospital's emergency department. It has 40 beds, including 25 in the short-stay unit, 5 in the brief psychiatric intervention unit and 10 in the short-stay hospitalisation unit.

The short-stay unit cannot open at this time because "a problem with the plumbing has been identified," according to the Communications and Public Affairs Department of the Centre intégré de santé et des services sociaux de la Montérégie-Ouest (CISSSMO).

Corrective measures must be taken to resolve the situation.

The short-stay unit remains accessible. The CISSSMO specifies that users transferred to this unit must meet certain admission criteria. A document from the Ministry of Health and Social Services specifies that users of this type of unit are generally divided into three groups: those who require a short period of investigation to determine the severity of their illness, those for whom short-term therapy is likely to produce a response within 48 hours (e.g., treatment for asthma), and those whose social problems warrant a short period of observation or organization before leaving the hospital.

The new modular complex was scheduled to open in early 2024.