Strengthening care for years ahead: Dr. Heather Johnson on South Shore Regional Hospital’s redevelopment

With more than 20 years of experience caring for South Shore families, Dr. Heather Johnson is now involved in one of the region’s largest healthcare redevelopments – the expansion of the South Shore Regional Hospital.

Johnson grew up in New Brunswick and completed medical school in Newfoundland and Labrador before settling on the South Shore with her husband in 2000. Since then, she has built a career rooted in community care. “I’ve done a little bit of everything,” she says. “I’ve worked in emergency, as a hospitalist and in family practice. When you’ve worked in so many areas, you understand what each department needs to make things run well.” 

In 2020, Johnson was asked to take on the role of medical site lead at South Shore Regional Hospital – her current role. “At the time, I wasn’t in a leadership role at the hospital,” she explains. “Then I got a call asking if I could help out because of the pandemic. Five years later, I’m still here, continuing to support our teams.”

Much of Johnson’s focus is on the South Shore Regional Hospital Redevelopment Project, a transformation that will increase the hospital’s footprint by 30 per cent. The two-storey addition will bring new and upgraded services, modern spaces and better access to care for patients and families across Lunenburg and Queens counties. The project includes new and expanded spaces for emergency, endoscopy and day surgery, along with a new dialysis unit and South Shore’s first MRI.

“From a patient perspective, it’s huge,” Johnson notes. “Right now, if someone needs an MRI, they’re sent by ambulance to Valley or Yarmouth. Having an MRI here will mean faster diagnosis and care. And for people who’ve had to travel hours for dialysis, being able to receive treatment close to home is life changing.”

The changes go far beyond new equipment and technology. “The flow in the emergency department is going to be so much better,” she says. “It’s bright, clean and designed around how people actually move through care. Our current emergency room was built for one doctor and a few nurses,” she explains. “Now, we have larger teams, pharmacists and dietitians working together. The new layout will give everyone the space they need to work safely and effectively.”

She also sees the redevelopment as an important tool for recruitment and retention. “People want to work in spaces that allow them to do their best work,” she says. “Modern, well-equipped facilities help us attract and keep great staff. It also gives existing teams the opportunity to grow and learn new skills, for example, with the addition of MRI and dialysis.”

For Johnson, the redevelopment is both professional and personal. “Having some influence on the infrastructure that’s going to be here for the next 20 or 30 years is exciting,” she says. “We’re building something that reflects the kind of care we want to deliver; efficient, compassionate and close to home.”