Pandemic Response Unit – Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre

Quickly adapting to changing healthcare needs.

The Barrie site was selected as part of Infrastructure Ontario’s initiative to help the region’s hospitals meet capacity and medical service demands resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. The newly built 13,760 sq. ft. Sprung structure will provide a semi-permanent, year-round space to support patient treatment in cases where area hospitals are over capacity or facing a resurgence of COVID-19. As an extension of the hospital, the unit is equipped with medical equipment, air filtration and ventilation systems to minimize risks of airborne diseases. The structure is comprised of:

1. a fully equipped and insulated 70-bed main patient care area;
2. a separate washroom area complete with a shower, storage, and connecting corridors to the main patient care area; and
3. an enclosed walkway that connects the main patient care area to the main hospital building.

As the unit was originally envisioned as a temporary structure, its initial design did not include the environmental controls needed to provide services through the winter months. However, stakeholders made the decision to maintain the PRU to help with any patient overflow or supplementary waves of COVID-19 during the upcoming flu season. The team moved quickly to make the design changes needed to insulate and accommodate heating and cooling systems for year-round operation. This design change required clear communication between all parties, as well as detailed coordination of all design enhancements, construction activity and supply orders.

Infrastructure Ontario engaged Colliers Project Leaders to provide overall project management services for the temporary medical facility. Our project managers provided coordination and a high level of communication to multiple stakeholders, while managing each detail of the project from planning and procurement, through to design, construction and substantial completion in just nine weeks. In addition, our team provided planning and procurement services for all furniture, fixtures and medical equipment in collaboration with Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre representatives.

Given the aggressive project schedule, it was important to obtain design consensus and approvals early in the process to avoid any unnecessary delays or disruptions. Our team planned stakeholder engagement and also coordinated and managed communications with stakeholders, consultants and the construction team to ensure alignment of all deliverables. In addition, our team managed the sourcing and purchase of medical equipment in the early stages, while also monitoring, receiving and recording all medical equipment deliveries required to see the project through to completion.

The construction of the new health unit will leave the region well equipped to handle any future influx of patients. Achieving substantial completion on June 26, 2020 the investment of a Sprung structure will not only provide a timely and compliant solution to meet the region’s healthcare needs, but will also ensure future flexibility, as the structure can be dismantled, stored and redeployed as needed to address patient overflow. The structure is scheduled to open for operation pending approval from the Ministry of Health.