The Bethesda Foundation continues to drive improvements in healthcare services in Steinbach, with a major hospital expansion underway and plans to address the shortage of healthcare professionals in the region.
Hospital expansion nearing completion
Chris Goertzen, Board Chair for the foundation, reports that the hospital expansion is progressing well. With the structure in place, the focus now is on completing the interior to ensure the facility is fully operational and equipped to meet modern healthcare demands. A key component of the expansion is the addition of three new operating rooms, which will replace the existing two surgical suites that have been in use for more than 60 years.
“These new operating rooms have been a long time in coming,” Goertzen says. “They will be well equipped and better able to provide more services and more potential operations for people. It will also allow for almost double the number of operations happening here in Steinbach.”
The expansion is expected to not only enhance surgical capacity but also improve overall patient care with upgraded amenities. While an exact completion date is not yet confirmed, Goertzen says the project should be finished by 2026.
Addressing healthcare workforce shortages
The Bethesda Foundation is also focusing on attracting and retaining healthcare professionals in the region. Goertzen acknowledges that there is a nationwide shortage of healthcare workers, making recruitment a challenge. However, he says the new state-of-the-art facilities will help draw professionals to the community.
“If we have great facilities, we will have more people wanting to work in those facilities,” he says. “That is our goal—not only having good places for people to work and attracting new professionals, but also making sure people who spend time in the hospital have a good, comfortable place to stay.”
To further address the need for healthcare workers, the foundation is in the early stages of discussions with Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology. The goal is to explore ways to provide more local training opportunities for healthcare professionals, increasing the likelihood that they will stay and work in Steinbach.
“We are looking at how that training can happen more in the Southeast and more in the city of Steinbach proper,” Goertzen says. “We want to see more healthcare workers being from Steinbach, staying in Steinbach, and helping people from Steinbach.”
Looking ahead to future projects
Beyond the hospital expansion, the foundation is also considering other healthcare initiatives. Mental health services have been identified as an area of growing concern, and Goertzen says the foundation is looking at ways to support and expand mental health care in the region.
“Mental health is a part of healthcare that is being focused on more and more,” he says. “I think it’s important that it gets addressed and that we have facilities and partnerships with organizations that can provide that care.”
Another key priority for the Bethesda Foundation is educating various levels of government on the healthcare needs of the region. Goertzen emphasizes that Steinbach is no longer a small town and requires a healthcare system that reflects its growing population.
“We are certainly involved with that because we know it’s a team effort,” he says.
Community support driving progress
Goertzen also praises the generosity of the community, which has been instrumental in funding the hospital expansion and other healthcare initiatives. The foundation is currently running a capital campaign with a goal of raising $22 million, and has already secured more than $19 million in donations.
“Whether it’s through Gifts of Light, where people are being generous with their dollars, or with the capital campaign, we are seeing strong support,” he says. “We look forward to finishing that campaign over the next months and seeing that generosity continue.”
Steinbach Deputy Mayor Michael Zwaagstra expresses gratitude for the foundation’s efforts in improving healthcare services in the community.
“They’ve done fantastic work in Steinbach for many years, and we can thank their hard work for the significant expansion we’re seeing at Bethesda Hospital,” says Zwaagstra.
He noted that the foundation has been instrumental in securing important healthcare services, including the new operating rooms and dialysis unit.
Zwaagstra also acknowledges the challenge of recruiting healthcare professionals but says the new facilities will help. “Having top-notch facilities helps to recruit more professionals,” he says.
As the Bethesda Foundation moves forward with its initiatives, Goertzen reaffirms its commitment to strengthening healthcare in Steinbach and ensuring that residents have access to high-quality medical services.
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