Foothills Medical Centre

Foothills Medical Centre (FMC) is the largest hospital in Alberta, Canada. It is located in the city of Calgary.

The main building of the hospital was opened in June of 1966. It was originally called 'Foothills Provincial General Hospital' and later known simply as Foothills Hospital. With the addition of other medical facilities it became known by its present name. Foothills Medical Centre is operated under the auspices of the Calgary Health Region (CHR).

Current Description
In addition to a 24-hour emergency room and inpatient care, FMC has 57 outpatient clinics on site. This facility provides comprehensive and specialized medical and surgical services to Calgary and southern Alberta:


 * 22 Bed Intensive Care Unit & 24 Bed Cardiac Care Unit.
 * Trauma Centre for Southern Alberta
 * 18 Operating Theatres - including a specially designated Trauma Operating Room
 * High Risk Maternity & Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
 * PARTY Program (Prevent Alcohol & Risk Related Trauma in Youth Program for Grade 9 secondary school students)
 * PADIS (poison & drug information)
 * SARP (Southern Alberta Renal Program)
 * Intraoperative MR - Magnetic Resonance System (first of its kind in the world, located in the Seaman's Family MR Research Centre)
 * Multiple Transplantation such as kidney, pancreas, corneal and tissue transplants.
 * HOPE Program (Human Organ Procurement and Exchange)
 * University of Calgary Medical Centre (UCMC) Clinics

The Foothills Medical Centre works in conjunction with the nearby University of Calgary for the purposes of educating students as well as providing facilities for medical research and is physically attached to both the University of Calgary Medical Centre as well as the Tom Baker Cancer Clinic, which has been renamed the "Cancer Centre". The Foothills Medical Centre has also been connected to the Alberta Children's Hospital and west side of the University of Calgary campus by a bridge, allowing specialized medical practitioners to cross-over when their help is needed.

Chronology of hospital projects
1958
 * Provincial and territorial hospital insurance plans. Prime Minister of Canada declares federal grants are available to provincial hospital-care projects, 50 cents on the dollar financing, from Ottawa.

1965 1966
 * Main building completed, Foothills Hospital, Calgary, AB, Canada.
 * First school of nursing class begins study, Foothills Hospital, Calgary, AB, Canada.


 * February, Main Hospital Phase II complete, Foothills Hospital, Calgary, AB, Canada.


 * April, First out-patients and glaucoma laboratory, Foothills Hospital, Calgary, AB, Canada.


 * June, Foothills Hospital opens, Calgary, AB, Canada.
 * During opening year, "Patient Care" booklet describes new hospital:
 * ''"Largest completely new hospital of its kind constructed in North America; 765,000 square feet of floor space; 2,000 rooms. Patient capacity: 766 beds, 116 bassinettes, 15 day care beds. Staff when the hospital is in full operation: 1,200-1,500.  Cost: $21,000,000 for construction of hospital, School of Nursing and Power Plant — $5,000,000 for initial equipment.  T-shaped hospital building, 12 storeys plus basement.  The cross-piece of the T includes all nursing units.  The back wing or stem of the T includes all clinical and other service departments and is 10 storeys high.  A 100 bed auxiliary hospital is planned for later construction on site; also a 370 bed psychiatric hospital which will be operated under separate administration.  Capital financing for construction was by the usual Federal Provincial grants plus a $17 million debenture issue to be retired by the Provincial Government over a 20 year period.  Operation costs will be met by the standard per diem payments made under Alberta Hospitalization Benefits.  Complete hospital control is vested in the board of Management."


 * Pathology labs (medical laboratory) begins using advanced equipment to provide a complete pathology service, Foothills Hospital, Calgary, AB, Canada.


 * Residence for 329 nursing students is linked as teaching hospital support of Foothills Hospital, Calgary, AB, Canada.


 * Planning continues for 100-bed auxiliary hospital and 370 beds for psychiatric patients, Foothills Hospital, Calgary, AB, Canada.


 * 1966 to 2007 and beyond
 * Hospital expands, largest hospital of the province of AB to be Foothills Medical Centre, Calgary, AB, Canada.

2001
 * November, New 14-bed inpatient stroke unit, Unit 100, Foothills Medical Centre.

2006
 * October 19, Calgary Health Region news release. Region names new tower of C$1.7 billion expansion for Foothills Medical Centre after well-known local philanthropist.  JR (Bud) McCaig Tower.  1-year after death of founder of Alberta Bone & Joint Health Institute.

2010
 * C$460M 8-storey tower, JR (Bud) McCaig Tower, Foothills Medical Centre, Calgary, AB, Canada.
 * JR (Bud) McCaig Tower adds to largest hospital of province Alberta, western Canada:
 * 8 operating rooms
 * 36-bed Intensive Care Unit
 * 93 inpatient beds
 * 21 short-stay beds
 * Diagnostic Imaging
 * Southern Alberta Tissue Program
 * Calgary Laboratory Services
 * space for expansion (16 operating rooms)
 * Expanded and renovated Emergency Department (main building)
 * Musculoskeletal (MSK) Clinic
 * Bone and Joint Program includes MSK Clinic, surgery, and teaching facilities
 * Surgical Processing
 * Admitting