‘From being grantmakers to changemakers’: Inside Dartmouth General Hospital Foundation’s push to improve patient care
As the DGH approaches its 50th anniversary, a new CT scanner highlights how the hospital’s foundation aims to transform philanthropy and community giving into vital medical matériel
For thousands of patients across Halifax Regional Municipality, faster access to medical imaging could soon mean faster answers.
A new photon-counting CT scanner coming to Dartmouth General Hospital is expected to increase diagnostic capacity, reduce wait times, and improve patient care – a major investment made possible through community philanthropy as the hospital prepares to celebrate its 50th anniversary.
The new technology is being funded in part through a $5-million donation from Lisa O’Regan, the largest gift in Dartmouth General Hospital Foundation’s history, made in memory of her late husband Sean O’Regan. A $1-million donation from Kenneth and Dorothy Rowe will also help fund the purchase.
The O’Regan donation will support several projects at the hospital, including the new CT scanner, emergency department improvements, and the Social Work Patients Essential Fund. In recognition of the gift, Dartmouth General’s West Wing has been renamed the Sean O’Regan Wing.
Foundation President Stephen Harding said the investment reflects the organization’s goal of helping the hospital move “from good to great.”
“Government funding covers the necessities in a public health care system,” Harding said. “Donors can really work with government to go from good to great.”
Dartmouth General performs more than 20,000 CT scans each year, one of the highest volumes in Nova Scotia. As Harding told the Post, 15,000 people across HRM are currently waiting for non-urgent CT imaging.
CT scans are used in everything from cancer diagnosis and treatment planning to emergency care, where doctors rely on fast imaging to make critical decisions.
The new photon-counting CT scanner is expected to provide more detailed images while using lower radiation levels, helping physicians diagnose conditions more efficiently and make faster treatment decisions.
The scanner is expected to be operational within 12 to 18 months. Construction of the space is underway, with the province funding the renovations needed to house the new equipment.
Harding said the scanner will also provide an important backup for the hospital’s existing imaging services.
“If one goes down, the other one will work,” he said, explaining that emergency patients could otherwise require transport elsewhere for scans. “So that’s a really big part of the benefit of bringing a second CT scan into Dartmouth General.”
The new CT scanner is the latest example of how community donations have shaped Dartmouth General over the past several decades.
That history is represented inside the hospital, where the Lifetime Giving Donor Wall recognizes philanthropic partners, community advocates, and donors whose lifetime contributions have helped support patient care.
The wall is unveiled annually to celebrate cumulative giving and the ongoing impact of donors who have invested in the hospital’s future.
Harding said those contributions demonstrate the relationship between the hospital and the community it serves.
“When the premier was here, as he cut the ribbon for the MRI, he spent a good 10 minutes reading every name on that wall,” he said. “A strong donor community and strong donor support will attract government funding.”
The Foundation’s 50th Anniversary Campaign, launching this fall, builds on previous fundraising efforts, including the Above and Beyond Campaign, which raised $13.7 million, and the Lead On Campaign, which raised $15.8 million.
The Lead On Campaign helped fund major projects including Dartmouth General’s first MRI, the Deanne Reeve Pelvic Health Suite, and the orthopedic robot at the Fred Smithers Centre for Orthopedic Care.
Harding said those investments have had measurable impacts on patient care.
The MRI has helped reduce wait times by more than one-third, while the orthopedic robot has allowed more patients to receive same-day procedures instead of requiring overnight stays.
“Every hospital bed in Nova Scotia is full,” Harding said. “If we could shift to having same-day surgeries where they didn’t need an overnight stay, this is huge.”
Over the years, the Foundation’s role has also changed. Harding said the organization has moved from being primarily a grantor to becoming more focused on identifying challenges and finding solutions alongside health care teams.
“We really wanted to move from being grantmakers to changemakers,” he said. “Not just waiting for the hospital to come to us with a funding request that we grant, but getting into the community and looking for what are the problems we want to solve.”
That means working with hospital leadership and frontline staff to determine where investments can make the biggest difference for patients and workers.
The 50th anniversary campaign will also focus on supporting the people who deliver care. Through initiatives like the foundation’s “Show the Love” program, staff have been recognized through appreciation events, meals, and other support.
As Dartmouth General looks toward the future, Harding said the Foundation’s focus remains on making sure community support translates into meaningful change for patients.
“Our goal is to show impact,” he said. “And show that their donations are making a difference. And really translating it to better patient care.”
For Harding, those improvements emerge from a larger partnership that isn’t focused on pieces of equipment, so much as relationships – cooperation among patients, health care workers, and the community.
“It takes a village to do something great,” Harding said.