VJH Renovation

North Okanagan residents accessing Vernon Jubilee Hospital’s (VJH) Emergency and Outpatient Departments will now receive even better care in these newly renovated departments, officially opened today by Okanagan-Vernon MLA Tom Christensen and Interior Health representatives.

The $1 Million renovation to the Emergency and Outpatient Departments began in July. Based on consultations with VJH physicians and staff, the renovation involved relocating the Outpatient Department to another available space within the hospital so the Emergency Department could then be expanded into the Outpatient Department.

Some of the changes to the Emergency Department involved adding a second trauma bay, utilizing the six stretcher bays from the Outpatient Department, adding enclosed patient treatment areas, relocating the gynecological room, having a dedicated minor procedure area, and creating an enclosed pediatrics room. Part of the Outpatient Department renovation included changing three double patient rooms to procedure rooms complete with their associated prep and recovery area, relocating the Cast room and IV Therapy room into larger more efficiently laid out rooms, and adding a new patient waiting area.

The renovation project was funded by a 40 per cent contribution from the North Okanagan Columbia Shuswap Regional Hospital District (NOCSRHD), with the Province of British Columbia – through Interior Health – funding the remaining 60 per cent.