Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital benefits from funding announcement

By Contributor

Some of the money the sitting Liberal government has been handing out around the province prior to the upcoming election fell into the Kootenay West riding last week as Health Minister Terry Lake announced a new emergency department that will enhance patient care at Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital in Trail.

This new project follows recently concluded improvements worth $1.77 million to the hospital’s intensive care unit (ICU).

“I toured Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital in late 2016 and saw the need for this redevelopment first hand,” said Lake, who was in Trail Thursday to make the announcement.

“A new emergency department, as well as the recent ICU improvements, will help to improve care for the most critically ill or injured patients from across the region and create an improved working environment for the health professionals who care for them.”

The emergency department expansion will address immediate space and service challenges and accommodate projected patient care needs for years to come. Plans include a single-storey addition to the existing building that is anticipated to triple the size of the current emergency department. As well, there will be:

• Two trauma bays.
• Seven redeveloped urgent care treatment bays.
• Five fast-track examination spaces.
• One redeveloped airborne isolation room.
• One redeveloped decontamination room.
• One new procedure/gynaecology room.
• One new secure room.
• One new quiet/consult room.
• Renovated minor procedure room and triage area.
• A covered ambulance area.
• New electrical system.

“This redevelopment is something that the community has been supportive of and it is great news that we are now moving forward,” said Boundary-Similkameen MLA Linda Larson.

“This expansion will support our health-care professionals with the increased space they need to continue providing the excellent care we are all accustomed to.”

Total cost of the project is expected to be $16.6 million. The funding for this project will be provided as follows:

• $ 9.36 million from the Province through Interior Health,
• $ 6.24 million from the West Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital District; and
• $ 1 million from the Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital (KBRH) Health Foundation.

“I want to thank the Health Minister, West Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital District and KBRH Health Foundation for their commitment to these critical upgrades to our regional hospital for the Kootenay Boundary,” says John O’Fee, Interior Health board chair.

“I’d also like to acknowledge the incredible work of all those at Interior Health – our staff, managers and physicians – who moved this project forward and helped make this announcement possible.”

“The West Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital District board of directors has been collectively advocating for this project, recognizing the important role Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital plays in the health care for residents in all our communities,” says Aimee Watson, Kootenay Regional Hospital District chair.

“We are pleased to be a partner in funding for our regional hospital on major upgrades that are essential to long-term health care in the Kootenay Boundary.”

The next step is procurement with construction estimated to start in the summer of 2018 and occupancy for the beginning of 2020. The project is estimated to create approximately 60 direct jobs and 40 indirect jobs for a total of 100 jobs.

The ICU work included replacing the external walls and windows, installing a new airborne isolation room for patients with infectious illness, installation of new glass doors for each patient room and new decentralized nursing stations located closer to patients.

Funding for the $1.77 million in ICU improvements was provided as follows:

• $1,227,800 from Interior Health,
• $485,200 from the West Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital District; and
• $57,000 for the isolation room from the KBRH Health Foundation.

In addition to its contribution to the isolation room, KBRH Health Foundation has provided Interior Health with more than $360,000 towards new ICU equipment through its successful Critical Care Campaign completed in the spring of 2015.

Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital opened in 1954 and offers services including 24-hour emergency and trauma services, level 2 laboratory, acute and obstetrical care, psychiatry and chemotherapy.

The B.C. government is making record investments in modern, safe infrastructure projects throughout the province. In doing so, these construction projects are creating well-paying, family-supporting jobs. These investments are possible because of the fiscal plan of the B.C. government.