Penticton Regional Hospital shows off more upgrades to the Emergency Department

The emergency department at Penticton Regional Hospital (PRH) unveiled their completion of phase 2 with upgrades this week, showing off a new area focused on patient care, privacy and equipment upgrades.

The South Okanagan-Similkameen Medical Foundation released a video highlighting new tools and comforts now available.

As a part of the $312.5 million projects upgrading the hospital, including the David E. Kampe six-floor tower, more improvements will be released throughout the year and in 2022.

New private rooms have been added to assess incoming patients and discuss medical history.

“I think what patients will probably notice is that the entire area will be a lot quieter, more controlled feeling,” Brent Harrold, an emergency physician at PRH said in the video.

The emergency department will also be the first in Interior Health (IH) to be able to use their IDs to tap and go into computers, improving workflow through an immediate sign-in.

“It’ll allow physicians and nurses to tap basically into a computer beside a patient and their workflow from wherever they were last time will just show up on that computer. So a physician or a nurse won’t have to go and leave the room to look things up or do their charting, they can look it up right at the patient’s bedside and ask the questions, maybe look up results together,” Harrold said.

The hospital was also able to purchase a new ventilator and a new ultrasound machine for the emergency room.

The South Okanagan Similkameen Medical Foundation recognized the multiple donors and contributions given to made this project possible.

“I think this emergency department will be a source of pride for Penticton and the South Okanagan.”