Dr. Alex Brothers wears a few hats at the Saanich Peninsula Hospital, where he’s treated patients since 2008. Chief of Staff at the community hospital since last June, Dr. Brothers also serves as Medical Director and head of the Emergency Department, meaning he’s uniquely well-versed in the special relationship between the hospital’s health care teams, patients and the Saanich Peninsula Hospital and Healthcare Foundation.
The ability to have a smaller, mid-sized hospital serving an urban area “is such a good thing for this community,” Dr. Brothers says, noting that because the hospital’s physicians are often based in the community, patients benefit from a greater connection between primary and acute care.
“It provides excellent continuity of care for patients,” he says. “Doctors know the patients so much better.”
In turn, physicians’ acute care skills are also enhanced as they’re more deeply involved than they might be when working in family practice elsewhere.
The deep connection the hospital and community share is evident in their relationships with the Saanich Peninsula Hospital & Healthcare Foundation, which supports hospital staff in their care for patients. By working to ensure the hospital is outfitted with the latest equipment, for example, it’s easier to attract and retain exceptional medical staff, and patients know they’re receiving the best possible care.
“Of all the patients we admit, only 5 to 10 per cent will need a higher level of care than we can provide here,” Dr. Brothers says, noting that tests like CT scans and echocardiograms are all done on-site. The hospital also has specialists like surgeons and internal medicine physicians on call. “There’s not a lot we can’t do, and when something does arise, we have excellent relationships with the tertiary hospitals in the area.”
Past initiatives have brought vital new Emergency Department equipment, and much-needed improvements for Long Term Care, for example.
“When we have equipment we need, the Foundation often steps up and provides it for us,” Dr. Brothers notes. “Without the Foundation, and the generosity of the community, this would be a completely different hospital. It’s a wonderful symbiotic relationship.”
Today, the Saanich Peninsula Hospital & Healthcare Foundation’s $2-million medical imaging campaign will allow the hospital to purchase a state-of-the-art Siemens X-ray machine and other equipment to ensure the hospital continues to excel in patient care. The campaign will also fund required renovations to the X-ray room to ensure it meets today’s safety standards, and provide the doctors, nurses and entire health care team with vital equipment they need to care for patients.
Recognizing the important role the hospital plays for residents throughout the Saanich Peninsula, a generous matching pledge of up to $700,000 from a local family, means your donation will have double the impact.
As we pause to reflect this holiday season amid the ever-changing protocols and increasing demands the pandemic presents to our health care teams, you can help your hospital continue to provide exceptional care – today, and tomorrow.
To help the Saanich Peninsula Hospital & Healthcare Foundation promote healthcare excellence for the community, visit sphf.ca.