Obstetric services at St. Joseph’s Hospital continue to expand in terms of scope of services thanks to well-trained medical and support staff.
The hospital reported that 323 babies were born in Estevan’s hospital in 2015, an increase of about two dozen compared with an average of about 300 in any other given year when full maternity services were available.
“It definitely was an increase over 2014,” said Greg Hoffort, the hospital’s executive director.
“The majority of the babies born here are from Estevan area families and the immediate area plus a few from Weyburn and its immediate area, so the service is expanding,” he said.
With some stability in the system now, Hoffort said he wouldn’t be surprised to see the number of births climb again as families show continued confidence in the service that now also includes full-time ultrasound imaging and a slate of physicians and nurses trained in delivering procedures.
“We had gaps once in awhile before, but now it’s a full service,” said Hoffort.
The executive director said he based his comments on the fact that while the local oilpatch has witnessed a downturn with a potential population drop off, it hasn’t seemed to have affected activities and admissions in the medical wards and emergency rooms as well as the obstectrical unit. “It’s not slowing down, even with the economy being what it is right now,” said Hoffort, adding that was why he predicted the birthing numbers increase again in 2016.
On the medical staffing front, Hoffort said there is now some stability on that side of the equation, with a full slate of physicians and a nearly complete list of nursing and support staffers.
‘We are hiring on a continual basis almost as people transition in and out, but we’re pretty stable in all departments at the present time,” he said.
