New operating rooms at Vancouver General Hospital will provide people in Vancouver and throughout British Columbia with better access to faster, high-quality surgical care.

Construction has begun on 15 new operating rooms and one hybrid operating room upgrade as part of Phase 2 of the operating-room expansion at Vancouver General Hospital. Completion of both phases of the operating-room expansion is expected to increase the number of surgeries from 16,800 to more than 19,000 per year. 

“These new universal operating rooms will substantially increase the number of surgeries that can be delivered from Vancouver General Hospital,” said Bowinn Ma, Minister of Infrastructure. “Construction is now underway on these important health-care facilities, while also creating good jobs during construction and, once complete, in health care.”

The new operating rooms will have a universal design, allowing any surgery to be performed in any room. They will be built to better accommodate equipment and storage, supporting a logical flow of tasks and activities during surgeries and improving efficiency. The enhanced design, technology and equipment will create a safer, more comfortable working environment for all staff and will optimize patient safety and surgical outcomes.

“Our team at Vancouver General Hospital is continuously adopting cutting-edge techniques and technologies to achieve the best results for our patients,” said Dr. Kelly Lefaivre, a surgeon in the orthopedic trauma division at Vancouver General and UBC Hospitals. “These new, innovative operating rooms provide a state-of-the-art surgical environment so we can continue to push boundaries, advance surgical medicine and care for the most complex patient cases in British Columbia.”

In May 2021, Phase 1 of the project was completed with the opening of the Phil and Jennie Gaglardi Surgical Centre, featuring 16 advanced operating rooms and a 40-bay pre- and post-operative recovery area. Once phase 2 is finished, the surgical centre will have 32 operating rooms and 78 perioperative bays, along with upgraded infrastructure, including heating, ventilation, air conditioning (HVAC), electrical and plumbing systems. With these new, flexible operating rooms, health-care teams will be able to increase the number of operating room hours available and surgeries performed.

“For people who’ve been waiting for surgery, this much-needed expansion builds on the work we’ve been doing to enhance care around B.C.,” said Josie Osborne, Minister of Health. “Whether it’s a senior waiting to walk pain-free again or the parent hoping to return to work after surgery, this project means thousands more people each year will get the surgery they need, faster.”

Vancouver General Hospital is a tertiary care site, providing a full range of acute and specialized health-care services for patients from across the Lower Mainland and throughout British Columbia. It provides specialized provincial programming for solid organ transplant, spinal-cord injury, trauma, burns and neurosurgery, as well as robotic and complex general surgery.

The operating-room renewal project is funded by the Province of British Columbia and VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation.

Quotes:

Brenda Bailey, MLA for Vancouver-South Granville –

“This is great news for the community. Adding new operating rooms means people in Vancouver and from nearby can get surgery faster. This investment will help reduce wait times, so more patients get the care they need sooner, saving lives. It will help build a stronger health system that delivers better care for everyone.”

Vivian Eliopoulos, president and CEO, Vancouver Coastal Health –

“Increasing the operating-room capacity at Vancouver General Hospital benefits patients from Vancouver Coastal Health and across our province, ensuring they receive timely access to surgical procedures. Our larger, universally designed operating rooms will support all our staff by increasing efficiencies, providing a safer and more comfortable working environment and enabling them to do their best work so they can optimize patient safety and outcomes.”

Angela Chapman, president and chief operating officer, VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation –

“We are deeply grateful to our community of donors who gave generously to the Future of Surgery campaign to expand and improve surgical capacity at Vancouver General Hospital and UBC Hospital. Their continued support ensures that our health-care teams have the cutting-edge spaces, tools and technologies they need to deliver the highest standard of care. Philanthropy has been the catalyst to transform these spaces and improve surgical care, contributing to healthier lives for healthier communities in B.C.”

Quick Facts:

• The new operating rooms will be built on level 2 of the Jim Pattison Pavilion at Vancouver General Hospital at 899 W. 12th Ave.
• Construction is expected to finish in 2029.
• Once this phase is complete, the Phil and Jennie Gaglardi Surgical Centre will have 32 operating rooms located on levels 2 and 3.
• The project will create approximately 1,800 direct and 500 indirect jobs.

Learn More:

To read about Phase 1 of this project, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2022HLTH0142-000763

For more information about health capital projects in B.C., visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/accessing-health-care/capital-projects