Saskatoon Health Region attracts 10 new pediatricians

The Saskatoon Health Region's recruitment efforts appear to be working, with 10 new pediatricians coming tothe city in the past sixmonths.

That includes a new pediatric surgeon, bringing the region to its full compliment of three.

Dr. Laurentiu Givelichian, head of pediatrics for the health region,said itplans to eventually offer every major form of pediatric care, with the exception of heart surgery and organ transplants.

"But everything else will be offered. Therefore, the families will never have to travel again outside the province," Givelichian told reporters before a tour of the under-construction Jim PattisonChildren's Hospital.

The $285-million facility, located adjacent to Royal University Hospital, is 70 per cent complete, said officials.

The Saskatoon Health Regionisstill 10 pediatricians short of itsgoal of 70. ButGivelichianis confident the region will be fully staffed when the children's hospital opens in 2019.

The hospital will be staffed with neonatal specialists, along with providers for critical care, developmental care, endocrinology, gastroenterology, hematology, infectious disease treatment, cardiology, nephrology, neurology, respirology, rheumatology, medical genetics, pediatric urology, surgery and emergency care, officials said earlier this year.

Wall lauds recruitment efforts

Premier Brad Wall also toured the construction site Friday. He applauded Givelichian and the region for the recruitment success.

The last provincial budget set aside $1.6 million for the region's recruitment.

"I think we're on track," Wall said. "We have to ensure that beyond building a wonderful children's hospital, it needs to be fully staffed."

Wall saidhe's grateful to see the significant progress being made every month on the building.

Hospital construction on time, on budget

The premier noted the project is on time and on budget.

"And that's a phrase we appreciate using in the public sector because we're mindful that it's the people's facility in the first place that's being built here. It's also their resources that are building it," Wall said.

The building was named after Pattison following the Saskatchewan-born billionaire's $50-milliondonation earlier this year.