The Victoria Hospitals Foundation has announced it is nearly halfway toward purchasing a new health monitoring system essential in supporting the work of doctors and nurses at the Victoria General Hospital (VGH).
On November 29th, fundraising efforts made by 285 community donors raised $215,000 in support of the It’s More than Just a Monitor initiative.
The proceeds from this year’s initiative will go towards purchasing a new health monitor system worth a whopping $500,000.
The life-saving technology includes ten bedside monitors, associated unit monitors, and software upgrades.
The current system being used at the VGH is over 17-years-old and is no longer able to effectively support critically ill patients in 2022.
“This is a vital system that we use daily to monitor the most critically ill patients from all over Vancouver Island—and it needs to be updated. As healthcare professionals, we need access to the leading edge tools that enhance our work and ultimately benefit our patients,” said ICU Manager at VGH, Susan Butler in a media release.
Patient monitoring systems provide real-time information on a patient’s status and vital signs including blood pressure, blood oxygen levels, and heart activity.
System upgrades will include larger display screens, new algorithms that reduce interference, and improved alarm settings to reduce alarm fatigue.
The new system also includes portable WiFi-enabled monitors so caregivers can stay up-to-date on a patient’s status—whether that’s at the bedside, from a nurse’s station, or at another part of the hospital.
Last year, donations made to the It’s More than Just a Bed initiative helped fund nine new hospital beds for the Emergency Department at Royal Jubilee Hospital, with community donations totalling over $114,000.
Donors have already exceeded fundraising efforts in 2021, which has left foundation organizers thankful for the community support.
“These upgrades truly help save lives. Whether you are a loyal donor to our Foundation or are donating for the first time, thank you for supporting innovation within our hospitals, and upgrading the patient monitoring system in the ICU at Victoria General Hospital,” said CEO of the Victoria Hospitals Foundation, Avery Brohman.
To find out more information or make a donation, you can phone 250-519-1750 or visit them online.
