Historic $4M donation fuels new family clinic in southeast Edmonton

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A $4 million donation from local families looking to remain anonymous is rapidly tracking the construction of a new family medicine clinic at the Covenant Health Community Health Center, the first phase of the innovative covenant health community in Southeast Edmonton.

The community health center currently under construction is scheduled to open in fall 2025. It will host outpatient clinics that migrate from Gray Nuns Community Hospital, as well as doctors’ offices, diagnostic imaging, and a variety of health, wellness and community services.

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Lisa Munro, president and CEO of Covenant Foundation, said it was the largest single donation ever made by Covenant Foundation and helped speed up the project’s timeline.

“The money involves Covenant Health Center, which is located on the Covenant Health Community campus, and primary care clinics will be open faster due to donations. This may be a stage later, but the project is already under construction due to the generous donations of its donations,” she said.

Improve access, efficiency

Munro said the shift aims to relieve stress on acute care facilities, allowing hospitals to focus on urgent and complex cases while providing primary care services in the community.

“It’s the pressure of the grey nun, and that’s how the whole vision really begins – trying to deal with competency issues on the emergency care section of the hospital, bringing those care into the community and getting them all the services, including primary care in one location – is truly a game-changer.”

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Covenant CEO Patrick Dumelie said in a press release that the project will transform health care services by moving hospitals from hospitals to a more community-centric model.

“We want to enable people to live and age in their communities, and this extraordinary gift will help us realize our vision and change the energy of health care,” Dumeli said. “By moving to community-based care, we can make health systems more efficient, free hospital resources and better access to quality care in the most appropriate environment.”

Covenant Health Community is an innovative health care model in Edmonton and Alberta, Monroe said.

“I think its approach is very innovative because it will support life and aging in one location,” she said. “It’s the whole idea of ​​a nursing approach campus. So it’s shifting the focus from acute care and treatment in the hospital to nursing in the community, something that hasn’t been done before. I hope the model will work and we will be able to replicate it across the province.”

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Transform healthcare

Covenant Health Community is a groundbreaking health care model designed to relieve stress in hospitals, enhance care for older people, promote the economy and prioritize sustainability. By relocating outpatient services from Sister Grey Community Hospital to the new community health center, the program will reduce non-emergency emergency visits and free up intensive care space in the hospital.

Integrated ongoing care centers for seniors will provide on-site solutions, while multi-generation housing supports independent living. The development will create more than 600 construction jobs and more than 1,300 permanent positions. Prioritize sustainability, reuse materials, integrate green technologies and promote transportation-friendly design.

In addition to this donation, the Covenant Foundation highlights the key role of the Health Foundation in strengthening the health care system in Alberta. Munro said that while government funds cover basic care, the foundation will help accelerate and enhance projects that may still be the idea. This donation demonstrates how philanthropy can transform health care by matching donors to a vision of change.

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The Covenant Foundation is actively raising funds for other healthcare projects, including a rural simulation program to improve healthcare services in smaller communities. The organization remains committed to listening to local communities and meeting their most pressing healthcare needs.

The Covenant Health Community Health Center is currently under construction at 7319 29 29, Edmonton A few minutes from Sister Grey Community Hospital and Millwoods downtown.

cnguyen@postmedia.com

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