Northern Light
Superstar
I can't comment on the current MOH policies for hospital heliports, but past practices have included several urban hospitals.
In my pre retirement career I was the EMS helicopter operations advisor for the planning and implementation of hospital heliports (in the GTA - St. Michaels rooftop, Sunnybrook rooftop, Markham Stouffville, Credit Valley).
I would certainly defer to your expertise. Though I would note, your list of 4, plus Sick Kids, does mean 3/5 facilities were for Regional Trauma Centres.
I certainly think there is a case for another in the GTA irrespective of helipad construction as to my knowledge we haven't built a new Regional Trauma program in the GTA in decades.
Hospital heliports such as Ajax Pickering, Markham Stouffville and Credit Valley are approximately the same distance to Toronto as the Mississauga Hospital and their heliports were funded many years ago.
Perhaps you would know; but looking at the 2 non-trauma centre locations, I wonder if proximity to airports was a consideration at all, thinking of Pearson and Buttonville?
My EMS flight experience with Ajax, Markham and Credit Valley was the frequent use of their heliports to transport critical patients from their hospitals to trauma centres in Toronto. The only inbound use was for HSC's Neonatal Transport Team who were then subsequently flown outbound with the newborn.
Certainly the majority of GTA hospitals do not have helipads so far as I'm aware, so I will come back to the issue of what criteria the MoH would be using for deciding who gets one.
As @drum118 pointed out, being located on the roof of the tallest building in the area with approach departure from almost 360-degrees is rare and absolutely perfect for flight operations.
The costs for a rooftop hospital heliport if included in the pre construction design should be less than $1m.
Not my world, but for something that can make a critical difference to patient outcomes, $1m sounds like a budget rounding error for a 24 story building.
I'm glad to see the topic being discussed.
Agree with all of the above.
*****
Hmmmm, quick scan of who has what:
Around the GTHA:
Hamilton Health Sciences - McMaster
Oakville Trafalger Memorial
Milton
Georgetown
Credit Valley in Mississauga,
Royal Victoria in Barrie
Markham Stouffville,
Uxbridge
Lakeridge - Ajax/Pickering
Interesting to see which sites have this service.
Further inquiry also led me to understand that Southlake in Newmarket was supposed to get one, but the neighbours stifled it.