Interior Health takes over RIH tower, scheduled to open to public July 18

KAMLOOPS — When you walk into the new Phil & Jennie Gaglardi Tower at RIH, you’re welcomed by an open space — the new admitting area of the hospital.

The tower features new operating rooms, a new maternity ward, and overall more space for patients and their families.

“The building will have state-of-the-art equipment, expansive operating rooms — I think the biggest operating rooms in the province. They’re pretty magnificent,” said President & CEO Susan Brown. “And single-patient rooms. We know when loved ones are in hospital, you need to stay with them. Sitting up in a chair all night doesn’t help you, doesn’t help you help your loved one.”

Interior Health officially received the keys on Thursday and is working on opening the new tower for July 18.

While it was a celebratory mood in the new atrium, there remain questions about how the new tower will be staffed. However, health minister Adrian Dix says recruiting is going well and he remains confident there will be enough staff.

“I announced a couple weeks ago more than 600 new nursing spaces in B.C. to train more staff, specific actions to support internationally-educated healthcare workers — nurses and others — to enter our system,” Dix noted on Thursday. “The recruitment efforts are going on. We’ve increased the number of nurses in B.C. by 6.5 per cent since I’ve been health minister, well above population growth.”

Dix was also questioned about the fact the new tower only adds 20 net beds to the entire hospital with more single-bed rooms.

“Qualitatively it’s going to do a lot more than that,” he responded. “I think it’s going to bring healthcare in Kamloops and in the region into the 21st century. Those beds are going to be all single-bed rooms, which in terms of the quality of care makes a phenomenal difference.”

Kamloops mayor Ken Christian, also the chair of the Thompson Regional Hospital District, is appreciative of the new space, but he pushed Dix for more services during Thursday’s announcement.

“Today, we are calling for the start of the planning for Phase 3 because we know this is going to take a long period of time,” said Christian. “We also want to talk to you about parking for this facility and we also want to talk to you about complex care in our region.”

Phase 3 of the RIH Master Plan involves a new medical building — its exact use to be determined — behind the Patient Care Tower.

Meanwhile, once the tower opens in July, renovations will begin on expanding RIH’s emergency department as well as enhancing pediatric care.