With approximately one year to go before the opening of the Clinical Services Building, planning will soon be underway for a new patient care tower, the next phase of redevelopment at Royal Inland Hospital.

“This is an exciting time for families in the Kamloops region. Not only are we getting closer to opening the Clinical Services Building, but we are working toward a business plan for the new patient care tower, which is part of the hospital’s redevelopment,” said Health Minister Terry Lake. “Residents have been telling us how important expanded and enhanced space at the hospital is to them, and we listened.”

In 2011, a master site plan for Royal Inland Hospital was completed. The plan identified surgical services, walk-in care, inpatient areas, support programs, parking, the patient care tower and other internal renovations as priorities. Some of these priorities, such as site access and parking, are being addressed through the Clinical Services Building project.

“Today’s announcement that we’re moving ahead with planning for a new patient care tower is great news - it’s another important investment in quality patient care for this community, and welcome news for Kamloops residents and the nearly 2,000 health-care professionals who work at Royal Inland,” said Todd Stone, MLA for Kamloops-South Thompson.

Interior Health is ready to proceed with the planning phase for the patient care tower project, referred to as the business plan. Development of the business plan includes analysis of health-services needs and delivery options, the project’s scope, procurement plan, and a funding analysis. Following provincial approval of the business plan, procurement for construction of the project would begin.

“Both the Clinical Services Building and the new patient care tower will make sure that quality patient care continues here at Royal Inland Hospital now and for years to come, which will benefit thousands of residents in the region,” said Jackie Tegart, MLA for Fraser Nicola. “I applaud everyone who has a hand in making these projects happen.”

“Redevelopment at Royal Inland Hospital is among Interior Health’s top priorities,” said Erwin Malzer, Interior Health board chair. “We’re about to embark on the next phase of redevelopment with a new patient care tower, which will bring an exciting new chapter to health care in the Thompson Cariboo Shuswap region.”

Malzer also recognized the significant work that has been undertaken for the Clinical Services Building, a $79.8-million investment funded by the Province and the Thompson Regional Hospital District that is about one year away from welcoming its first patients.

The Clinical Services Building will offer a variety of outpatient services regularly used by patients such as laboratory, community respiratory therapy, pre-surgical screening, cardiology, neurodiagnostics, IV therapy and the vascular improvement program. A new four-storey parkade will make physical access to those services and others within RIH easier. The new building will also incorporate expanded clinical education space for the University of British Columbia faculty of medicine’s medical programs, representing an important investment in future recruitment and retention of physicians to the area.

“Residents in the Kamloops region look forward to one year from now, when we can celebrate as a community the grand opening of this beautiful new Clinical Services Building,” said Peter Milobar, Thompson Regional Hospital District chair. “We’re also thrilled to see Interior Health move forward with the business plan for a patient care tower at RIH, as that will also be a significant investment in patient care in this region.”

The Ministry of Health has developed “Setting Priorities for the B.C. Health System,” an overarching strategy to create a more sustainable health system. As part of this, a series of policy papers, including ones on surgical services, information technology and primary and community care, were created to help build better supports that will help meet the needs of British Columbians in every region of the province.

Learn more:

Check out the Clinical Services Building’s progress at: www.buildingpatientcare.ca

To read the Ministry of Health’s strategic document, Setting Priorities for the BC Health System and the accompanying policy papers, visit: www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/topic.page?id=EF73BCF3DE34484CB4DBA9E34092402C

Media Contacts:

Laura Heinze
Media Relations Manager
Ministry of Health
250 952-1887 (media line)

Darshan Lindsay
Manager Public Affairs
Interior Health
250 314-2100 (ext. 3752)
250 318-4408