March 24, 2006

BRANDON—Modernization of the Westman Regional Laboratory will begin with $750,000 for the redevelopment and relocation of nuclear medicine services to the Brandon Regional Health Centre and approximately $7 million for the reconstruction of the Brandon laboratory, Premier Gary Doer announced here today.

"The plan, developed in consultation with laboratory staff and the regional health authority, will make Westman Lab a modern facility able to meet the current and future needs for advanced medical testing," the premier said.

More than $750,000 will be invested to redevelop and relocate nuclear medicine services to an area next to the diagnostic imaging department in the Brandon Regional Health Centre, freeing up space to allow this complex redevelopment to proceed. Nuclear medicine uses radioactive substances to create an image of the body and establish a diagnosis of an illness or disease.

The new area for nuclear medical services will include three new rooms for the laser interferometric cameras that create the images used for diagnoses. The project will also include a radioactive isotope receiving and storage area, a bone density scanning room and a reception area.

In addition, a new dual-head nuclear medicine gamma camera has been approved for the lab at a cost of approximately $630,000. The new camera will replace a single-head gamma camera, resulting in two dual-head and one single-head gamma cameras now on site.

This new gamma camera is to be funded from the Diagnostic Medical Equipment Fund.

When completed, the modernization of Westman Lab will meet top national standards, allowing the lab to keep pace with trends and function as a modern facility over the next two decades. The renovation of nuclear medicine will also meet top national standards including those established by Atomic Energy of Canada.

"This first phase is critical to the redevelopment of Westman Lab and it is exciting to have evidence that the project is becoming a reality. Westman Lab serves the whole province outside of the city of Winnipeg in space that was intended to accommodate the Westman area," said Carmel Olson, chief executive officer of the Brandon Regional Health Authority.

"I welcome this first step in the Westman Lab redevelopment project as a clear indication of the importance that Diagnostic Services of Manitoba and this government place on the role of Westman Lab as a key component of our provincial strategy," said Dr. Jim Dalton, chief executive officer of Diagnostic Services of Manitoba. "Westman Lab has been, and will continue to be, an important reference centre for many rural and northern laboratories. Creation of an improved work environment will also help us recruit and retain the staff who are such a critical part of our ability to provide quality health care to Manitobans."

When the relocation is complete, the province will have invested a further $7 million in the redevelopment of the laboratory. The project will include:

• provision of new space and equipment for the preparation of diagnostic testing materials;

• reconfiguration of departments within the lab to ensure better work flow and specimen processing;

• extensive renovations of the existing facility including new areas for offices, record storage and training space; and

• upgrading of heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems.

"I want to thank the staff of the Westman Regional Laboratory for their professionalism and dedication to their important work, providing Manitobans with high-quality health care," said Intergovernmental Affairs and Trade Minister Scott Smith. "This project will make a huge difference for them in the years ahead."

The Westman Regional Laboratory provides comprehensive laboratory services to the Brandon Regional Health Centre as well as Brandon medical clinics, all rural laboratory facilities outside of Winnipeg, northern nursing stations and minimum security institutions. These services include hematology, histopathology, cytopathology, microbiology, chemistry, transfusion medicine, pathology, specimen procurement and shipping.

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