A new pharmacy at Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital is now open, offering enhanced operational efficiency, improved working conditions and modern technology.

The new pharmacy provides all pharmacy services for patients while they are in hospital, as well as home IV and oncology pharmacy services for individuals in the community.

“The new pharmacy means people who use Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital have access to a modern environment that allows health-care workers to deliver quality public health care,” said Adrian Dix, Minister of Health. “These new upgrades will benefit people throughout the entire region who rely on the facility.”

The pharmacy is triple the size of the previous one and meets National Association of Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities standards. It features a new dispensing area, a private patient consultation space and a conference room.

The enhanced pharmacy is part of a $38.8-million investment that also includes an expanded ambulatory care procedure unit. Renovations have also been made to the oncology, rehabilitation, cast clinic and health information management departments.

“It’s great to see the work being completed at Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital, which will support the public health-care needs of people in the area,” said Katrine Conroy, MLA for Kootenay West. “This also builds on the new emergency department that opened in September 2020.”

The renovated and expanded oncology department will open on July 19, 2022 with exam, treatment and consultation rooms, and a new waiting room. The updated and modernized physiotherapy department will open on Aug. 15, 2022, providing enhanced working conditions and patient treatment areas. Once these spaces are open, Phase 2 of the project will commence, including renovations to vacated space in the old ambulatory care general clinic and pharmacy. The Phase 2 projects will be complete in spring 2023.

The Pharmacy and Ambulatory Care Project was funded by the provincial government, which provided $23.3 million, and the West Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital District, which provided $15.5 million. The KBRH Health Foundation has committed to raising a further $250,000 for the project.

Quick Facts:

• The exterior of the new ambulatory care unit was constructed above the new emergency department and a bridge was built to connect the new unit to the existing hospital.
• The ambulatory care unit is used for outpatient procedures such as endoscopies, cystoscopies and other minor procedures.

Quotes:

Susan Brown, president and CEO, Interior Health –

“We’re excited for people in the Kootenay Boundary to see significant changes to their regional hospital in Trail continuing. This renovation was designed with our staff in mind to improve their working environment so they can better support patients who receive pharmacy services.”

Suzan Hewat, chair, West Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital District –

“This redevelopment has been a top priority for our board as Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital is a place that people from across the West Kootenay rely on. To see these new spaces opening up for patients and for our health-care workers is great news.”

Lisa Pasin, executive director, Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital Health Foundation –  

“We have strong community support for Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital and felt it important that the KBRH Health Foundation partner in the ongoing redevelopment of the Pharmacy and Ambulatory Care Project. These projects are providing enhanced care spaces for our community, and we are proud to continue to support the hospital’s redevelopment.”