The newly unveiled, state-of-the-art Jerry Coughlan Health & Wellness Centre (JCHWC) in north Pickering promises to transform health-care delivery in Durham Region.
As the region braces for a population surge, expected to double within the next two decades, this state-of-the-art facility emerges as one promising solution to help meet the growing health-care needs of the expanding population.
Spanning an impressive 33,971 square feet, the four-storey, JCHWC – Lakeridge Health’s newest facility – is equipped with a myriad of services.
“We’re thrilled to open the doors of the Jerry Coughlan Health & Wellness Centre, a testament to our commitment to fostering a healthier Durham Region,” said Cynthia Davis, President and CEO of Lakeridge Health. “We’re so proud because this Centre isn’t just a building; it’s a lifeline for our community, ensuring accessible, modernized care for generations to come.”
At the heart of the JCHWC lies the Surgical Centre which boasts four cutting-edge operating rooms and a stunning recovery area filled with natural light. Projected to support the addition of over 9,000 surgical cases annually, the Surgical Centre will help alleviate pressures on hospital resources while significantly reducing surgical wait times.
“For a region experiencing rapid growth like Durham, the community-based Surgical Centre reshapes how we deliver surgeries,” said Davis. “By streamlining surgical services, we’re helping to ensure that every resident receives the care they need, when they need it.”
But the JCHWC is more than just a surgical powerhouse; it’s a holistic haven for primary and urgent care services.
With ten primary care physicians on board, the center is poised to welcome between 6,000 to 10,000 new patients, bridging critical gaps in family medicine access. Moreover, specialist physicians, including obstetricians, gynaecologists, and plastic surgeons, will be on hand to provide specialized care tailored to the community’s unique needs.
Beyond traditional medical services, the JCHWC hosts several specialty offerings, including laboratory and diagnostic imaging services. As well, the Centre also houses Lakeridge Health’s innovative Central East Prehospital Care Program, also known as the “Base Hospital.” This is unique space where paramedics and other health-care professionals receive training.
In addition, the Center will host much-needed community mental health services including Lakeridge Health’s Assertive Community Treatment Team (ACTT), a lifeline for adults battling severe mental illness.
This achievement is the result of a remarkable partnership between Lakeridge Health and Northwest REIT, bolstered by the generous contributions of local philanthropist, the late Jerry Coughlan. Coughlan’s visionary $9 million donation, channeled through the Ajax Pickering Hospital Foundation and the Lakeridge Health Foundation, laid the foundation for this transformative endeavor.
“Jerry was a man of vision, but also very practical; he knew that the primal need of housing would only be matched with the primal need for health care for the families that lived in each home,” said Lyn Dunlop-Coughlan, Jerry Coughlan’s wife. “Without health we cannot be who we were meant to be.”
As the JCHWC welcomes its first surgical patient, it signals not only the transformation in community health-care delivery, but also is a testament to the power of collaboration and innovation in building healthier, more resilient communities.
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