Saskatchewan’s first Urgent Care Centre, located in Regina, proudly opened its doors to the public on July 2, 2024, adding significant capacity to Regina’s health care system. Regina’s new Urgent Care Centre provides care to patients with non-life-threatening illnesses and injuries requiring same-day attention, as well as those needing immediate mental health and addictions support. With this new capacity, pressure on Regina’s emergency rooms will decrease, resulting in reduced wait times, allowing critical resources to be available for life-threatening medical emergencies at the Regina General Hospital and the Pasqua Hospital.

At the official opening ceremony on June 27, Hospitals of Regina Foundation announced $2.42 million in funding for the Urgent Care Centre's technology, equipment, furniture and fixtures, as we welcomed the media through its doors, along with the Premier, the Ministers of Health and SaskBuilds and Procurement, Saskatchewan Health Authority officials and other special guests.

This significant investment has delivered a digital x-ray system, an ultrasound system, pharmacy and laboratory equipment, patient monitors, portable patient lifts, defibrillators, exam tables that can be raised or lowered to accommodate disabled patients, and other essential items like furniture for the reception area, the counselling rooms and the exam rooms.

“We are delighted to make this critical investment in the Urgent Care Centre, which is the first substantial addition to Regina’s health care capacity for many years”, says Dino Sophocleous, president and CEO, Hospitals of Regina Foundation. “We are grateful to our donors, for it is their support that allows us to keep our promise of the best health care possible for everyone - a promise we made to this community 37 years ago.”

A significant part of the Hospitals of Regina Foundation’s investment came from a legacy gift from one of the Foundation’s most devoted donors, the late Lynn McManus. A true philanthropist, Lynn always trusted the Foundation to invest her support in the highest priority needs of our hospitals.

“Lynn’s philanthropic spirit is exemplified through her legacy to the Foundation and the southern Saskatchewan community, which allowed us to support the Urgent Care Centre”, shares Dino Sophocleous. “The generosity of our donors allows the Foundation to make critical investments in our health care facilities, and help our medical teams deliver the best care possible right here at home.”

The Saskatchewan Health Authority is taking a phased approach to operating the Urgent Care Centre, with the facility accepting patients seven-days-a-week from 8 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. It plans to transition to 24-hours-a-day, seven- days-a-week service in late 2024. The Centre supported 575 patients in its first week of operation and is expected to see 20,000 patients annually.