Information technology at Lachine: modernizing to serve the community

The Lachine Hospital modernization project is moving ahead at a remarkable pace. In addition to the new ultramodern section, two floors of the historic former St-Joseph Hospital building will be completely renovated. This project also represents a unique opportunity to upgrade all information technology infrastructures. The new building will offer a superior level of performance in terms of infrastructure, and the team will modernize the telecommunication rooms in the existing part from top to bottom on each floor.

According to, Richard Chamberland, MUHC IT Project Manager for the project, “The Hop Lachine! project will radically transform the entire communications infrastructure of the old building. This is essential to integrate state-of-the-art equipment in the new section.” As a result, the entire hospital network infrastructure will be fully adapted to support the most innovative technologies.

There were many challenges for Richard, Domenico Loria (IT Analyst – Infrastructure), and François Robin, (IT Analyst for Lachine Hospital and CHSLD). They had to upgrade the telecommunication rooms for the transition to Internet Protocol Telephony (IP Telephony), replace the aging Nortel telephone system, and deploy a Wi-Fi network that efficiently covers the entire hospital. Richard emphasizes that Domenico's infrastructure expertise was invaluable, and François Robin's in-depth knowledge of the site was crucial. An elite team oversees these major changes.

It’s been announced that the deployment of the Wi-Fi network will be completed by the end of 2024, ensuring full coverage throughout the hospital and at the Camille-Lefebvre Pavilion. According to Richard, this upgrade goes beyond current standards since the modernized infrastructure will allow groundbreaking advancements in the coming years. For example, Wi-Fi calling will make it possible to stay connected via multiple platforms even in areas with poor cellular coverage, which can be crucial in an emergency. The new Wi-Fi network will also open the door to technology that will enable signals to be used for equipment geolocation.

The future network will support all the specialized IT applications required by the multidisciplinary teams working in modern medicine.

For his part, François underlines how “the system will enable a seamless link between the current hospital and the future expansion.” François has been working here a long time and knows Lachine Hospital like the back of his hand. He joined the hospital as an electronics student and witnessed a number of system upgrades, most notably during the merger of Lachine into the MUHC. He can attest to the trademarks of the Lachine Hospital – a warm atmosphere and exceptional team adaptability. At Lachine, the team’s size and the close proximity of each department give the organization an undeniable agility. This was particularly apparent during the recent health crisis, when an external overflow station was quickly established.

Imagine a hospital designed with a human scale approach, in complete harmony with its community, yet equipped with the most sophisticated infrastructure provided by its affiliation with a major university hospital centre. It's an exciting vision of the future Lachine Hospital within the MUHC and the benefits of this hospital complex for the Lachine community.