St. Joseph's 75th Anniversary

St. Joseph’s Hospital

Celebrating

75 Years

Special Supplement To:

November 20, 2013

C2 November 20, 2013 • Celebrating St. Joseph’s ~ 75 Years

Estevan Mercury

The early years identified by struggles and false starts Serving the greatest needs of the community.

It’s a simple statement, but a huge mandate, yet St. Joseph’s Hospital in Estevan has done just that, for 75 years, and counting.

The first St. Joseph’s Hospital sprang out of the spirit and soil of the Energy City, born out of a community’s Depression desperation in the fall of 1938.

The original 40-bed facility along the valley’s edge on First Street (where Hill View Manor now stands) was constructed in record-setting time, a total of five and a half months from start to finish with Poole Construction of Regina being the lead contractor who wisely made use of the expertly trained local trades people and used a sharp scheduling of materials that arrived in timely fashion just as they were needed, so there were no interruptions to the frantic building pace. And it was paid for in cash.

The construction contract was for $100,000 to build the 40-bed facility with accompanying support sectors such as kitchen, nursing station, storehouse and so on.

Furnishing and equipping the first hospital required another $65,000.

In contrast, the current St. Joseph’s Hospital took more time and cost about $27 million with an estimated $5 million more to equip it for basic startup requirements in 1992.

The desperate circumstances evolved after a fire destroyed a doctor-run hospital, and prior to that, health care facilities in Estevan were a rather hit-and-miss series of medical adventures and mis-adventures.

Beginning in 1892, with the arrival of the first settlers in the region, the frontier village (declared officially in 1899), needed something to use to treat the sick and wounded. Lignite coal was an early industrial catalyst and the impending arrival of the rail service signaled the start of what might be a booming community.

At the turn of the last century, Estevan was fortunate to have acquired the services of Dr. E.H. Scott and by the time Estevan became an official town, in 1906, one year after Saskatchewan became a province, Dr. R.H. Taylor assumed the position of medical health officer.

One of the first health-directed edicts applied to the new town was an order to build a new road across the Souris River valley south of the town to avoid the stench that was coming from the town’s nuisance grounds. A new one was built.

By 1910, Estevan was ready for a hospital. Home remedies, it was believed, were not always the answer for early citizens who got their “doctoring” in their residences by doctors who did house calls.

The serious medical cases that couldn’t be handled in the home’s bedrooms, or minor operations on the dining-room table, were referred to Brandon, Manitoba or Minot, North Dakota where hospitals were found and were fully staffed. On occasions nurses from Minot and Brandon were brought in to provide extension services for more complicated cases.

A long-time resident and former long-time mayor of Estevan, Harry Nicholson recalled years later that “there were a number of young fellows around town, like myself, who were called in to look after patients at night while the nurses got some rest,” he said.

“Nurses in those days were not on an eight-hour day. The nurses who came from Minot were young and good-looking and it always was quite easy to get some of the local boys to volunteer for night duty.”

A smallpox epidemic in 1908-09 drove home to the local citizens that there was a need for a dedicated health care facility. A private home was purchased for $250 and sold three years later for $3, a price that reflected its reputation as serving as the local “pest house.”

When Dr. William Creighton arrived in 1910 to join his brother Jim in medical practice, they opened offices on the second floor of a business block on Fourth Street with two receptionists who were also registered nurses. Nurse Morrison also opened a private hospital in a home on Fourth Street with two or three nurses on staff.

Ella Rondeau also offered initial hospital-like facilities to treat the afflicted.

A Spanish influenza outbreak in 1918, led to another call for upgraded and larger health care facilities in the growing community. Discussions were held among Estevan administrators and those from three surrounding rural municipalities. The talks focused on the need for what was then the new “union” hospital concept.

A money-raising proposal for a union hospital in Estevan was defeated at the polling station by local ratepayers.

In 1924 Drs. J.F. Creighton and Walsh purchased the former Delight Theatre on Fifth Street and enlarged it by adding a wing that allowed them to establish a 15 to 18 bed hospital that, for the era, was considered to be as up-to-date as any health care facility in the region. But it was still, a private facility and therefore not available to other doctors practising in the town or area.

A fire in the nearby Clarendon Hotel in 1936, not only severely damaged the hotel, but also spread to the hospital destroying most of it, save the new wing.

The doctors then moved to the Creighton Building on 12th Avenue above the Princess Café to provide temporary care facilities.

So again, Estevan found itself in desperate straits, looking at “make do” facilities to treat the population.

The business community began to rally around the topic of getting a primary care facility built for the entire town and region led by Mayor David Bannatyne and councilors W.J. Perkins, and Walter Schlosser. The idea of a union hospital was floated once again, but again, failed to gain momentum due to lack of enthusiasm from outside the town limits. These were extremely hard times, the Depression was in full bloom and cash just wasn’t there.

At that point, some inquiries were being made about the possibilities of attracting some out-of-town interests in getting a facility built. There were hints that perhaps an Archbishop P.J. Monahan of the Roman Catholic Church Archdiocese of Regina, might be accepting of a visit, so the three councilors made the trip. That contact led to a flurry of phone calls, meetings and letter exchanges and within a few short months, Estevan was advised that the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peterborough, Ontario were interested in the town’s proposal.

The stage was set.

Acknowledgements The Mercury wishes to acknowledge the assistance that was provided for this special section.

The corporate memories of Greg Hoffort, executive director; Mary-Ann Veroba, director of care and Joan Barnstable, executive assistant were invaluable to us and their input is appreciated.

Further information was gleaned from the pages of the chap book, The Love of Christ Has Gathered Us Together published by the community of Estevan, researched by Jeanne Perry and edited

by Stirling King.

Additional information and items have been harvested from the pages of this publication, The Estevan Mercury and its archival library.

Further thanks to the community, St. Joseph’s Hospital staff and, of course, the Sisters of St. Joseph’s who made this all happen with their faith and belief that projects of such significance can be completed successfully … twice … with community co-operation.

Thank you From the

Congratulations on your 75th Anniversary!

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75 years 5

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Celebrating St. Joseph’s ~ 75 Years • November 20, 2013 C3

First St. Joe’s Hospital didn’t come easily, but was built quickly The Sisters of St. Josephs brought the entire package to Estevan, including the concept, the spirituality, administrative and health care expertise and yes … even a solution to the final financing plan.

It took almost two years of planning within the community, and more than a little lobbying at the provincial level, but ultimately Estevan got its first St. Joseph’s Hospital built and commissioned in November of 1938.

A few months after a fire had destroyed the existing hospital, Estevan’s civic officials entered into discussions with Archbishop P.J. Monohan of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Regina who suggested he might be able to enlist the interest in the offices of the Order of St. Joseph of Peterborough, Ont. The talks got down to the financial basics and the Town of Estevan knew that it was time to step up with dollars, but being in the throes of the Depression, they weren’t easily obtained.

In the summer of 1937 the town sought permission from the provincial government’s Local Government Board to issue a five-year $6,000 debenture under the town’s bylaw that would lend support to the hospital project.

The request was denied, as was a follow-up request to take money from an electric light fund to support the hospital.

It seemed some previously issued debentures by the town were still outstanding and had not been paid down on their due dates, thanks to the Depression. Estevan wasn’t the only centre in the province undergoing these punitive conditions. In fact, no urban centre was being allowed to increase debenture debt for any reason at that time.

But, as we have come to learn over the decades, Estevanites don’t always take a firm “no” as the final answer. There is always a way around bureaucracy and red

Old St. Joseph’s Hospital on First Street as it looked from the nearby valley’s edge in the 1960s. tape, they figured. They just needed to use a little more common business sense and call upon the goodwill of the populace to make something positive happen.

Town council, led by David Bannatyne, prepared a bylaw to provide an annual grant of $1,200 for five years to the Sisters of St. Josephs. The Board of Trade approved the idea and they provided the delegation that visited with the provincial politicians who saw the light and provided a special act of the Legislature that ratified the town’s bylaw.

While that was taking place, local service clubs were rallying around the plan.

Led by the Board of Trade, that pledged $1,300 a year, over five years, the hospital plan picked up momentum.

The service organizations not only pledged support, they pledged cash even though there had been no crops, there was still some coal being mined and sold and the town’s business community, while not

thriving, was not dying.

Buoyed by community spirit and their own willingness to step up, the Sisters of St. Josephs visited the Royal Bank of Canada in Regina and secured a loan for $80,000 that they assured would be paid back in two years with funds to come from the Order by means of bond issues and private loans.

An original plan for a 37-bed hospital at a cost of $70,000 had been upgraded to a 40-bed, $100,000 project with another $65,000 required to furnish and equip it.

The original site, close to the 1200 block of First Street was abandoned in favour of one two blocks west.

The five and a half month construction period has never been matched in this province to this day in terms of size of finished product.

While the hospital was being built, the Order of St. Josephs sent out their first team of sisters, a modest trio who arrived in August of 1938 to begin preliminary

Congratulations on 75 years of service to Estevan and surrounding areas.

work in setting up for their duties. The three were Sister Priscilla who became the first Mother Superior of the hospital along with Sister Edna and Sister Rosanne. They took up residence with Mr. and Mrs. James Loughlin who had come to Estevan from Peterborough a few years earlier. They later moved to a convent that had been occupied by the Sisters of Forget who had taught school and then left in the care of the Sisters of Loretto, another teaching order.

Known for her wonderful communication and people skills, Sister Priscilla made daily visits to the construction site during its final stages, dealt with equipment and medical suppliers, talked with doctors and nurses to enable her to form a medical staff and maintained a busy schedule of visiting with service groups and business people who had an interest in the health facility.

Sister Edna, with homemaking skills, took on the ward work while Sister Rosanne went to work as supervisor of food service, beginning with one cook, Mrs. Ott and four helpers who trained on the job.

The hospital was up and running by September and between then and the official opening in November, two more sisters arrived. Nursing Sisters Eileen and Ida came aboard to bolster the spirits and lighten the load of the original trio plus the newly hired “civilian” staffers.

The official opening was highlighted by a turnout of hundreds of local citizens in a town of about 1,200. In fact, over 1,200 signed the guest register for the event that included a visit by Archbishop Monahan as well as J. M. Urich, Manager of Public Health for the province.

The first year of this 75-year matchup between the Sisters of St. Joseph’s and the Town and then the City of Estevan, was one filled with joy and a pure sense that something significant had happened and that the relationship was going to be a positive one.

75 Years

Thank You

Thank you for providing us with care.

1938-2013

St. Joseph’s Hospital for serving the Estevan residents.

Congratulations on 75 Years!

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C4 November 20, 2013 • Celebrating St. Joseph’s ~ 75 Years

Estevan Mercury

First hospital underwent several expansions It wasn’t a winning sports team that received an impromptu standing ovation from 500 or more fans who had gathered in the Estevan Comprehensive School’s Cafetorium that day in 1976, but rather a group of 40 modest nuns, Estevan’s Sisters of St. Joseph past and present, who were given this major community salute. They had definitely earned it.

The sisters were being feted by the city for their major contributions to Estevan and area’s well-being for the past 40 years.

They quietly accepted the accolades and later retreated to their respective roles and prayers, at least knowing that what they had done, and what they continued to do, was not going unnoticed by a thankful community.

While the sisters may have physically departed from active participation in the daily operations of the new St. Joseph’s Hospital in 1993, their spirit is ever present today.

St. Joe’s is now under the auspices of the Catholic Health Ministry of Saskatchewan, formerly the Saskatchewan Catholic Health Corporation (1999). Prior to that, it was known as the Catholic Health Council of Saskatchewan. All carried the mandate of overseeing the Catholic institutions in Saskatchewan through governance and leadership using the vision of holistic Catholic health care in a healing mission.

There are nine health care facilities in the province who come under their care, one other one being in the Sun Country Health Region, the Marian Health Centre in Radville.

The congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph dates to 1650 in France. It was co-founded by Rev. Jean Pierre Medaille and Bishop Henri de Maupas. The congregation spread to St. Louis in the United States in 1836 and moved into Toronto in Canada by 1851. The first calling in Canada was to staff an orphanage. The ministry branched out to include education and health care for the poor and needy.

In 1890 the Peterborough Sisters of St. Joseph congregation was born with Rev. R. Alphonsus O’Connor taking

charge of the diocese and providing the sisters with a mandate to staff a new hospital in that city.

As their influence grew, Most Rev. P.J. Monahan, Archbishop of Regina called for help in Saskatchewan, asking if the sisters could not only staff, but also oversee the building of badly needed hospitals in Estevan and Melville. The sisters indicated they were willing, but could only build and staff one place at a time. The Archbishop decided that Estevan was the neediest of the two communities at the time, so the first hospital would be built here.

Not only did the sisters finance the building of the new hospital that opened in 1938, they also provided the core staffing needs.

The original hospital contained 40 beds and immediately upon opening, those beds were almost always filled and patients spilled out into hallways. Additional beds were added and squeezed in wherever space could be found.

The Great Depression added to the problem but somehow the town and its citizens managed to rally around it to keep things moving forward using a local advisory board of volunteers.

For instance, there was never any question that the hospital’s furnaces and stoves would ever be without fuel. Coal was the king commodity in the area and the early mines and miners ensured that there would always be coal in the bins at St. Joe’s.

Mind you, some of those white trimmed habits worn by the nuns ended up with coal smudges from time to time, but they never seemed to mind that. They just got the day’s work done. That work often consisted of pickling and preserving produce that would be donated if local residents had any kind of gardening success at all during the drought years. Recently harvested chickens and prairie chickens would arrive at the back door, then cleaned and consumed. Those chores were done after regular work was completed.

The Second World War effort brought Western Canada and this community out of the Depression funk … that along with

a little rain and by 1942, the town was acknowledging the hard fact that more space was required so a small wing was planned and constructed on the north side.

The space was dedicated as an isolation ward and a children’s ward along with a larger laundry. The hospital’s capacity was then listed at 60 beds.

But even that expansion proved to be not enough for a rapidly growing town that was to become a city within the next decade.

That’s when another solution arrived in the form of the newly vacated hospital at the Estevan Airport that had served as a centre for the Commonwealth Service Flying Training School No. 38 during the war.

The year was 1946, the war was over, the training aircraft were slowly being moved out and a whole extension community just a few miles south of the city, was diminished in numbers and uses, except for the hospital. That hospital had a 45-bed capacity so it was immediately pressed back into action for community, not air force personnel. Chronically ill patients (non-emergent) were assigned to this hospital. By that time, the air force airport had been turned over to the Town of Estevan, so the airport hospital, as it was commonly referred to, now belonged to the town. But it was a bare building. It needed to be furnished. Guess what? Yep, the Sisters of St. Joseph. Furniture was found within a willing community.

The hospital, historians say, was a wonderful place to be and work in during the summer months with its well groomed and landscaped yards, but in the winter, just getting to and from this extension facility, was sometimes a major challenge that often made visitors into guests for one or two days, or until the snow plows and

Phone: 306-482-3244

Congratulations On 75 years

graders could dig them out.

In the meantime, the main hospital received another small extension central storehouse was built adjacent to the hospital. No new beds were added, but some space was created and supplies and equipment could now be stored in one location.

By the early 1950s, it was time for another expansion which was completed in the spring of 1956, just before Estevan gained the official recognition as being Saskatchewan’s newest city.

About this time operations at the airport hospital were winding down as upkeep and other maintenance issues made it too inefficient to continue operations.

The new wing cost just under $600,000 with just $96,000 of that being provided by a government grant. The rest was up to the sisters and the community to raise. Again, the project was financed by the sisters. It was noted at the time that the $96,000 was the first time a provincial government provided any kind of financial assistance for construction of a health care facility in Estevan.

The new wing contained a maternity ward and a nursery. There was also new X-ray equipment installed and laboratory services were expanded. The new wing also lent a more home-like atmosphere with stark white hospital walls being replaced with some colour and adornments.

Direct oxygen supplies were also available in the new wing.

As noted, the expansion came just in time to accommodate the Energy City’s next official boom with the oil patch entering into full explosion mode by 1955 and moving rapidly forward in 1956 and 1957.

By 1964, it became evident that the 1956 expansion simply wasn’t enough.

Several ⇢ C5

Congratulations on 75 Years

Happy 75th Anniversary St. Joseph’s Hospital!

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Celebrating St. Joseph’s ~ 75 Years • November 20, 2013 C5

Several extensions required at original site ⇠ C4 The City of Estevan had now grown to more than 8,000 citizens and the surrounding municipalities and towns had also increased populations and demands for health care were on the way up again.

Another new wing was in place by 1964. It provided another 30 beds with expanded X-ray service, emergency services, physiotherapy, pharmacy, recovery room, operating room, medical records, central supply and an upgraded power plant. At the same time, a new residence was included for the sisters and a face-lift was given to the original hospital.

This was the first time the community got engaged in the initial funding. With a cost of just over $705,000, it was noted that Estevan service clubs and individuals came up with over $72,000 while the provincial and federal governments contributed just under $380,000. The RM of Estevan contributed a further $2,800 while the sisters again financed a large chunk at just under $223,000. That burden was alleviated significantly when the council of the City of Estevan presented the sisters with a $100,000 grant for past services, but this money was somehow mysterioiusly transferred by the provincial government to their coffers, without the city’s knowledge and ended up as a provincial grant in 1973. The City also provided $6,500 for new equipment, and fortunately, those funds remained in Estevan and were used by the sisters and hospital. That was matched by a further $2,400 from the RM of Estevan while local businesses chipped in with another $9,500 for equipment.

The Order of St. Joseph donated $27,000.

The final addition to the original hospital came in 1974 with a 4,000 square foot extension at a cost of $400,000.

The expansion did not add to the bed capacity but did provide badly needed space for dietary and the hospital cafeteria along with laboratory and more space for the alcohol treatment centre that had opened in 1969, on the fourth floor.

Aerial view of the old St. Joseph’s Hospital with the additional wings and storehouse.

Management over the years Beginning with the affable and community-minded Sister Priscilla, St. Joseph’s Hospital has welcomed a series of well-tested and successful managers who have assumed the lead roles as Mother Superiors to Executive Directors over the 75 years: Sister Priscilla, 1938-1944 and 1959-1965.

Sister Scholastica Sister Marie Paul

Sister St. Maurice Sister Mary Esther Sister Mary Fitzgerald 1965-1976.

Sister Theresa Roddy 1977-1993 Harvey Fox 1993-1994 Darwin Giem 1994-2007 Normand Poirier 2007-2011 Greg Hoffort 2011-current.

Although we do not have the exact dates of administrative services provided by Sisters Scholastic, Marie Paul, St. Maurice and Mary Esther, it could be assumed they served in the executive administrative roles in the periods between Sister Priscilla’s departure in 1944 and her return in 1959. We also contemplate that the administrative duties that would be required at the Estevan Airport Hospital would be included in this lineup of administrators during this period.

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C6 November 20, 2013 • Celebrating St. Joseph’s ~ 75 Years

Estevan Mercury

Aerial view of the new St. Joseph’s Hospital taken shortly after opening and before the addition of the medical clinic.

New St. Joe’s now at 21 and moving forward The news in 1981 wasn’t that good.

St. Joseph’s Hospital on First Street, the facility that had undergone at least five remakes, additions and refurbishments between 1938 and 1978 needed to be upgraded dramatically … again. The cost of renovating the well-used main building and extended wings to meet provincial standards and local expectations was going to take $44 million.

The detailed review suggested that an entirely new hospital could be built for less than what it would take to renovate the old one.

The task of setting the stage for this truly ambitious project fell squarely on the shoulders of the diminutive Sister Therese Roddy, the then executive administrator at St. Joe’s.

It would be up to her to get the wheels in motion to charge up the community to get behind the project while squeezing the last bit of service that could be squeezed out of the old hospital while still adhering to provincial health care standards.

She hadn’t expected such a challenge, she said at the time. She had arrived on

Estevan’s doorstep, expecting to simply manage an old hospital following the retirement of Sister Mary Fitzgerald. But that wasn’t to be her lot.

To add to the challenge, the City of Estevan had already launched an ambitious fund-raising campaign to build a badly needed leisure centre. As it turned out, the Energy City, being true to its nature, responded positively to both campaigns with the Souris Valley Aquatic and Leisure Centre and St. Joseph’s Hospital celebrating grand openings only a few months apart.

By 1988, this newspaper reported that the local fundraising effort for the new hospital had worked past the halfway point with $7 million gathered in cash and pledges. The need was to raise the $13 million that would be required to build a new $27 million hospital. And that was just the basic construction costs. The other half would be covered by provincial grants. That news sparked a new round of donations that soon brought the local contribution to $7.4 million. At that point tenders were called for a design package and soon the plans were available for public scrutiny.

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The ground breaking ceremony took place in the summer of 1990 with Premier Grant Devine being joined by Sister Roddy, Sister Irene Baker, Superior General of the order’s home base in Peterborough and Archbishop Charles Halpin to turn the first sod to mark the beginning of construction.

It was noted that at that point, the community had raised $12.5 million, and the $500,000 shortfall was going to be covered by the Sisters of St. Joseph, who willingly leaped into the financial breach, just as they had done in 1938, 1956, 1964 and 1976 and on other expansion projects for the original hospital.

The sisters explained to The Mercury that they would “somehow provide the bridge financing until the local fundraising efforts were completed.”

They weren’t prepared to wait any longer, the new facility was needed and they were well entrenched in the Energy City and knew exactly how this city rolled. Being patient wasn’t going to get it done. The action plan had to be launched, so it was.

The final tally on the basic construction came in under budget at $25.7 million, but

by the time the hospital was completely equipped and furnished, the price tag stood at $36 million, still well below the $44 million that would have been required to refurbish the old hospital.

The new edifice, located along the farther western reaches of Nicholson Road, now has a main access road leading to it, named after Sister Roddy.

The new hospital opened with 84 acute care beds, 40 long-term care beds and 16 beds for alcohol/chemical treatment patients. Sister Roddy lamented that her request for eight psychiatric assessment/ treatment beds had been denied.

On Nov. 26, 1991, the same day as the original hospital had been opened in 1938, the new St. Joesph’s Hospital opened for business.

The patients from the old facility were all successfully transferred by early December, in spite of challenging weather.

The new hospital boasted a revamped day hospital space and program, an impressive two-storey chapel, large cafeteria and rehabilitation centre and a sister’s residence Built ⇢ C7

Provincial Home Oxygen Inc. would like to congratulate St. Joseph’s Hospital for 75 years of outstanding service in the community! For the past 14 years, Provincial Home Oxygen Inc. has proudly served Estevan and area with all of its oxygen and respiratory needs. As a member of the local community team, we would like to express our deepest thanks and gratitude to all of our friends and colleagues at St. Joseph’s for “all that you do”.

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Celebrating St. Joseph’s ~ 75 Years • November 20, 2013 C7

Built with the future in mind

⇠ C6 that had been included at their own expense. Nursing wards and surgical suites were located on the second floor and support services such as the library, multi-purpose rooms, conference rooms and auditorium were on the ground floor along with administrative offices and the emergency ward.

The new hospital, when opened, encompassed 15,000 square metres and it was noted that by dedicating over 25 acres to St. Joe’s, there would be plenty of space available for expansion, which, in retrospect, was a visionary move since a medical clinic of a few hundred square metres has since been added (2007-08) and future plans call for a new Estevan Regional Nursing Home, a 72 to 80 bed facility to be added within the next few years, replacing the existing nursing home currently located on Wellock Road.

Palliative care services in the new hospital received official recognition in 1992.

Not too long after the hospital opened, major changes and cuts were implemented at the provincial level that left St. Joesph’s with 53-funded acute care beds and 36long term care spaces and

1938

no alcohol/chemical treatment beds. Home care services were expanded, however and administrative and delivery services for that program expanded into the space that was left vacant with the departure of the sisters between 1993 and 1995. The news that the sisters would no longer have a physical presence in the hospital surprised the community that had come to embrace their spirit or getting things done over the six decades of partnership.

Administrative office space that had been used during the health district regime, was freed up for other uses when the newly amalgamated health regions took form around 2000 with the provincial government deciding that the headquarters for the newly created region in the expanded southeast sector, would be established in Weyburn in a new facility that was being constructed there.

The new system of governance would now come from the Saskatchewan Catholic Health Corporation and Harvey Fox was appointed the interim executive director to help steer the hospital into the new program following the departure of Sister Roddy and the other Sisters of St.

Thank You St. Joseph’s Hospital

2013

Joseph.

The hospital has been able to use the additional space made possible through the funded bed cuts to add a chemo-therapy room, additional examination space, a COPD clin-

ic and a dedicated nine-bed dialysis unit on the second floor, along with the aforementioned resettlement of home care services in the former sister’s residence.

The hospital has undergone the previously

Early Nursing Care

Pictured here is a team of nurses who were among the first employees in the original St. Joseph’s Hospital between 1938 and 1943. Not all first names were recorded, but it is believed these nurses’ last names were Vandendries, Ludwig (Koch); Tosczak (Loughlin), McLean, Burk and Budd.

Congratulations!

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Congratulations St. Joseph’s Hospital on 75 Years!

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through the STARS emergency response service.

So, as it is with all good things, nothing is static. Health care in Estevan and southeast Saskatchewan is forever moving forward.

Message of congratulations from the Mayor: “ On behalf of Council and The City of Estevan, I am proud to congratulate St. Joseph’s Hospital on their long and storied history. St. Joseph’s Hospital has been meeting and exceeding patient’s needs for over 75 years. Our faith based Hospital give an added dimension which in my opinion absolutely completes the circle of care and helps our patients get better sooner.

We have had many challenges over the years, which I can attest to, being on the Board at St. Joseph’s as well as being on the local Health Committee, but I feel confident with our great local community support as well as support from our surrounding RM’s we will continue to be among the best health care providers in the region. Congratulations St. Joseph’s and continue your great work!”

Congratulations on this

Historic Milestone!

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Congrats St. Joseph’s for treating Estevan and area for over 75 years.

Dr. Sarah Sliva, Optometrist

102 Souris Ave., Estevan 306-636-2020

C8 November 20, 2013 • Celebrating St. Joseph’s ~ 75 Years

Estevan Mercury

Auxillary Gathering

St. Joseph’s Hospital auxiliary are pictured here with executive director Greg Hoffort (centre).

Success found on the fourth floor

Thank you for 75 years of care!

Clergy, the law society, social services, employment agencies and others were lined up to contribute to the program.

First one, then two alcoholism counsellors were hired for the newly revamped addictions centre that was established on the upper deck of the hospital, affectionately referred to as the Fourth Floor. The original set up was for 12 beds for those needing to undergo a detoxification process and then treatment that would last up to a month of residential care.

A medical director was appointed and nursing and other staff members were given additional training to deal with physical needs. They also branched into mental evaluations as part of the process to help the patient regain health. Members of the Estevan Ministerial Association came aboard for the spiritual counselling aspect of the program.

Educational and recreational equipment was donated, the local law society added pro bono support for some patients who would be facing frustrating legal issues after treatment and employment agencies provided advice on working life after treatment.

As noted, referrals came from near and far as the program’s success reached beyond local borders. An informal follow-up regime kept track of the centre’s graduates over a series of years and it indicated a 62 per cent success rate, which was very heartening compared with previous results. In most instances, the recovering alcoholic was reintroduced to everday life with a renewed sense of dignity and a solid plan to follow to ensure continued success in sobriety. The 38 per cent who failed the first time around, were welcomed back for a second round of recovery with no judgment.

When the original St. Joseph’s Hospital was closed and the new hospital opened in the early 1990s, 16 beds in the 106-bed facility were for the treatment of chemical addiction patients. But shortly after they opened, under the direction of the provincial government and the newly emerging health districts, that later merged into health regions, the alcohol/chemical addiction treatment wing was closed at St. Joseph’s and was replaced with an out-patient program.

Congratulations on

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Seventy-five Years

The residential in-house alcohol/chemical treatment centre in the original St. Joseph’s Hospital was an inspiration crafted by then lead administrator Sister Mary Fitzgerald.

She had brought her passion for the treatment of alcoholism to Estevan from the sister hospital in Peterborough.

It wasn’t until 1962 that Saskatchewan officials came to the realization that alcoholism was a disease that required not only withdrawal but some follow-up health treatment and care.

That was the year it became legal to admit alcoholic patients to a hospital in this province. Before that doctors had to fabricate a disease so that the worse cases could get some type of initial treatment and hopefully it wouldn’t be too late to get them on a road to recovery, just like any other disease or affliction.

Sister Mary noted that in her past experiences in treating this disease, it was a disheartening fact that too often the patient would return again and again, never seeming to lose the obsession.

The sisters kept asking, how can we help?

The local arm of Alcoholics Anonymous was anxious to find some satisfying solutions as well and it came in 1969 when the Minister of Health, Gordon Grant gave the Order of St. Joseph’s in Estevan the permission to establish an alcohol treatment centre in the hospital.

In the United States, the first recorded hospital treatments for alcoholism were in 1939, initiated by Dr. Bob, a co-founder of Alcoholic Anonymous who formed an allegiance with Sister Ignatia of the Order of the Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine in Akron, Ohio.

The success rate, while not overwhelming, was significant and definitely better than anything that had been attempted before, so when Estevan’s turn arrived, 30 years later, there were some precedents that could be followed for the Canadian trial run in Estevan.

Thank you for your commitment

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Congratulations on

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Congratulations

from Marga Cugnet, CEO, Sun Country Health Region, on the occasion of the 75th Anniversary of St. Joseph’s Hospital of Estevan.

– November 1, 2013

“St. Joseph’s Hospital of Estevan has a long history of providing excellent care and putting patients first in providing health care services. Sun Country Regional Health Authority, and the management and staff of Sun Country Health Region, congratulate the board, management and staff of St. Joseph’s and wish them all the best in continuing their excellent service in future years.”

www.estevanmercury.ca

Celebrating St. Joseph’s ~ 75 Years • November 20, 2013 C9

St. Joseph’s Hospital Advisory Board - Nov. 1991

Back (L) Louis Bourquin; Jim Mack; Sister Theresa Roddy; Richard Hagel; John Billesberger Front: Ena Duncan; Sister Noella Haddad; Gladys Young; Sister Elizabeth Ludwig.

Pictured here are the medical and dental staff m e m b e r s w h o we r e working in St. Joseph’s Hospital when it first opened in November of 1991. Back, from the left: Drs. Sarbijit S. Grewal, Bernard Ruan, Edward D. Ndovi, Edward Tsoi and Dean Chow. Front: Amrik S. Bassi, Lina Hernando, Komaluru R. Visvanathan and Allison Christie.

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C10 November 20, 2013 • Celebrating St. Joseph’s ~ 75 Years

Estevan Mercury

The mandate is clear at the local hospital

By Norm Park Of The Mercury The trio did not need to refer to any vision or mission statement crafted by bureaucrats when the Mercury approached them with a simple opening question as to what they thought about the institution they work within practically every day … St. Joseph’s Hospital. What was the mandate, we asked as an opening query.

Greg Hoffort, Mary-Ann Veroba and Joan Barnstable almost answered in unison with statements that were similar in tone and meaning.

Hoffort is the executive director for the hospital that serves the extreme southeast sector of the Sun Country Health Region while Veroba is a long-serving director of care and Barnstable is executive assistant, another long-serving member of the St. Joe’s team.

The hospital, Veroba said, “is here to respond to the needs of the people we serve.”

The hospital responds by finding out “where the need is the greatest,” echoed Hoffort, and then goes out and fills that discovered need.

The hospital staffers do what they do because “they know it’s the right thing to do,” echoed Barnstable.

Those were three different but oddly similar responses.

Veroba said historical records maintained at the hospital indicate that this has been the calling card for St. Joe’s from day one, when Archbishop Monahan made the first inquiry to the sisters in 1936, asking them if they would be interested in building something meaningful in Estevan.

What have been the needs?

Well, by 1969 it was becoming evident that the rate of alcoholism in southeast Saskatchewan was growing so an in-house addiction treatment wing was added and gained such a solid reputation for success it attracted referrals from neighbouring provinces and other districts.

“There was a period in the city when we had three specific disabled children that required special treatment.

The hospital responded,” said Veroba. “We didn’t receive any additional funding for a chemotherapy program, but the need had been identified and we knew we could handle it, so we have,” she said.

“Where the need is the greatest,” she added with a smile.

“Saves a lot of people the time and money involved in driving to Regina, just like the dialysis machines do on the second floor,” said Barnstable, pointing out another need that had been identified and filled.

Respiratory and cardio problems are prevalent in the southeast, so you open a clinic and get the help.

Expansion of home care? Done.

A need for a CT scanner has been identified as urgent, so the call has gone out for one. There was also a recognized need for a medical clinic for new physicians to set up in, so St. Joe’s built one that is attached to the hospital itself.

St. Joe’s maintains a pro-active hospital board since it is designated as an affiliate facility to the larger Sun Country Regional Health Authority and its government appointed board of directors that works from headquarters in Weyburn.

“We work hard on our relationship with Sun Coun-

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Greg Hoffort try,” said Hoffort, who is usually the first contact or liaison between the two bodies when it comes down to discussions and negotiations.

“We have some autonomy as to how things are done here, and we have representation to them. I would say we’re pretty tightly aligned with Sun Country.”

Veroba seconded that thought, noting that St. Joe’s usually has a representative on Sun Country committees or evaluation teams, and, in fact, provides leadership for several.

“We have to be aligned there because the funding flows through Sun Country,” Hoffort said. “Funding is always difficult. There was no increase this year other than inflation. It’s always a challenge, and that’s everywhere in the province, not just around here. Funding was a challenge 75 years ago, and it still is.”

Being a faith-based Roman Catholic charged institution of care does not hamper services at St. Joe’s in any respect. It might mean that they may do a few things a bit differently, but overall, it’s a plus, not a minus factor.

“In fact, I think now I would find it difficult to work in a place where it isn’t a factor,” said Barnstable.

“We certainly have our identity,” added Veroba, “but people of many faiths, all faiths are served here. It doesn’t matter what your approach is to life, the greatest need for all is served.

“We recognize there are differences, but I know people of all faiths enter our chapel and light candles.

“We have presentations all the time on ethics, so we are all just being humans, no matter what faith,” said Veroba.

“We have to stay on top of the needs and the demands are greater now, and as we said before, histori-

cally speaking, St. Joe’s has provided,” said Hoffort.

Even when it became obvious there was a need to replace the old St. Joe’s with a new St. Joe’s, the Sisters of St. Joseph’s, with numbers dwindling, but still fiercely loyal to the mandate of care, stepped up and led the charge for a new hospital that opened in 1992.

The trio said that student training, another historical reality, still takes place in the hospital whether it be nurses, doctors on education internships, pharmacy, laboratory or dietitians on courses.

In the original St. Joe’s Hospital, an ambitious training course for licensed practical nurses was carried out from start to graduation, bringing eight to 12 new nursing faces to the province every year, many of them were willing to stay and pursue their careers here.

“I believe the sisters understood right from the start there was a natural crossover between healing and education … that they were intertwined,” said Veroba.

“We provide good experiences for students. This is a great place to learn. We have heard that from the students themselves, they feel they get opportunities for handson experiences they would never receive at the larger hospitals and they get the attention of their instructors on staff. I would say we’re pretty good at that, whether is training for maintenance or a third or fourth year medical student, it’s all very important.”

The new St. Joeph’s was built to accommodate as many as 84 acute-care beds, but currently requires and is funded for 53, but some juggling is allowed as to what purpose those beds serve. For instance, three beds are usually assigned for intensive care, but that can by juggled. With more births now, more maternity beds can be brought into play when required. But funding does make for some restrictions and when the obstetrical beds are full, expectant mothers are transferred to Regina.

“We have a high daily census in the hospital, usually not over 100 per cent, but it’s high,” said Hoffort.

“We want to bring them back from Regina, not send them there, not if we can care for them here and the family is here,” said Veroba, noting the obvious, that this also relieves the pressure on two of the province’s most hard-pressed hospitals in the Queen City.

It seems the patients make better progress on the healing process when they’re in their home hospital too.

The group also thought St. Joe’s was currently in a sweet spot in terms of melding youthful staff members with experienced veteran caregivers, something that is also very important.

While capital purchase needs are rarely met in any Sun Country budget, St. Joe’s is blessed with an active foundation and auxiliary that support purchases of all kinds of equipment and materials that keep it updated and moving forward.

“We need that CT scanner and we expect to have it soon. The foundation and auxiliary help us meet the surgical equipment needs. We generally get enough time scheduled for the operating rooms. Our waiting list is within three months for surgeries and we have about 300 Serving ⇢ C11

www.estevanmercury.ca

Celebrating St. Joseph’s ~ 75 Years • November 20, 2013 C11

Easy Access

Exterior of the East side entrance of the hospital.

Serving needs in growing community ⇠ C10 births here per year,” said Hoffort.

The hospital employs about 300 people who fill approximately 200 full time equivalent positions.

They also share time and equipment with other hospitals and clinics throughout the southeast as part of the region’s collaborative efforts toward more efficient operations.

Whether it be acute care, home care, ambulatory care, mental health and addictions care or emergency care there is a collaborative model in Sun Country that makes

St. Joe’s an integral piece of the solution. For instance, Veroba noted, St. Joe’s is so vital that they could never, even for an hour, consider closing the emergency room or intensive care unit. “That is not an option for us,” said Veroba. Even when the physician base was down to seven a few years ago, St. Joe’s had to rally the troops and carry on with full service.

The nine dialysis beds are often full for both daily shifts, which isn’t necessarily a good thing, but still, a recognized need

that has to be met consistently, never haphazardly.

Everyone gets served and with an increasing immigrant population, not all are carrying Saskatchewan or even Canadian health care coverage cards. That places a strain on budgets and personnel, but again, there are no options. Care is to be provided, even if there isn’t any expectation of reimbursement.

“With an aging population, there are even more challenges and expectations,” said Barnstable.

Hoffort added that

it’s not always acknowledged, but those on the front lines know explicitly how health care works as a team effort. Staff know that housekeeping is just as vital as nursing and doctoring and emergency care links in with dietary and that links in to pharmaceuticals too and initiatives are welcomed from all sectors.

“We learn about medications and their changes.

We have to know about psychiatric conditions and addictions and mental illnesses and while we may not have a funded de-

Join us in celebrating St. Joseph’s Hospital

on our

75th

anniversary.

toxification bed, it’s done here, because the need is here,” Veroba added, noting that the need was identified in 1969 and hasn’t diminished, even if there aren’t any in-house treatment beds any more.

In summary, it’s about care where it’s needed and when it’s needed, or, you might say … it is something like serving the greatest needs after they have been clearly identified.

Estevan and the surrounding area appreciates the hard work and dedication of the St. Joseph’s Hospital!

Congratulations on 75 years!

www.estevanmercury.ca Mon. Nov. 25 - 6:30 am Staff Breakfast Tues. Nov. 26 - 10 :00 am Mass - all welcome 2:00 pm Auxillary Tea 7:00 pm Board Members Wine and Cheese Wed. Nov. 27 - 2:00 pm Alumni of St. Joseph’s Hospital. Open to anyone who is an alumnist of St. Joseph’s Thurs. Nov. 28 -1:00 pm - 3:00 pm Community Celebration

Everyone Welcome!

St. Joseph’s Hospital 1176 Nicholson Rd. Estevan, SK.

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Message of Congratulations In contrast to the way many people would measure it, the “goodness” of community is more truly witnessed in its ability to be compassionate and caring. For 75 years, St. Joseph’s hospital has served at the core of our community with incredible professionalism, commitment, and grace. It is, of course, important that we remember that a hospital is so much more than just a building. Its administration and staff have lived their faithfulness with great skill and care as they work to serve the healthcare (and Spiritual care) needs of our community. For all these things the people of Estevan are truly grateful and celebrate the blessing that St. Joseph’s has been to our city.

The Estevan Ministerial – on behalf of all the faith groups we represent – congratulates St. Joseph’s on its 75 years of dedicated and faithful service. May God continue to use you to bless our community as an integral part of how we care for, serve and support each other.

Pastor Stewart Miller Chairperson of the Estevan Ministerial Association

C12 November 20, 2013 • Celebrating St. Joseph’s ~ 75 Years

Estevan Mercury

Congratulations on 75 Years

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