HUMBOLDT — A radiothon to help the Humboldt District Hospital Foundation raise money for new equipment has raised almost $73,000 as of April 15 – with more expected to come.
The Equip To Care Radiothon was held April 8 to 11 in conjunction with 107.5 Bolt FM.
Lorrie Bunko, the executive director of the foundation, said the event, which is one of their biggest fundraisers of the year, will be a big help to reach this year’s goal of $344,000.
“We’re very happy with the support that we received,” she said.
Bunko said that while the foundation’s board plans to meet in May to determine how the money will be spent, one of the major focuses this year will be to buy three Pyxis automated drug distribution systems at a cost of $270,000.
“To describe them easily, they’re almost like a glorified vending machine,” Bunko said.
For those hospitals using the system, each patient is given a barcode. The nurse assigned to the patient will scan the barcode with that machine and they’ll only have access to the medications that’s been prescribed to that patient.
“Medications and drugs will be kept way safer. There will be less room for error,” Bunko said. “Narcotics are also able to be stored, which will cut down on a lot of time for inventory accounting for narcotics.”
Bunko said the province of Manitoba has committed to having the Pyxis systems in all of their hospitals, while other hospitals in Saskatchewan are also trying to secure the system for themselves.
The foundation is aiming to have the system installed by January 2020, with one going to the emergency room and two going to the inpatient ward.
