An artist's rendering of what the $417 million Patient Care Tower at RIH will look like once it's finished. Image Credit: Interior Health

By Adam Donnelly

HOSPITAL UPGRADES

Interior Health gives first look at the future Patient Care Tower at RIH

Jul 12, 2019 | 3:37 PM

KAMLOOPS — For more than 50 years, Royal Inland Hospital has delivered critical care for patients throughout the southern B.C. Interior.

However, with the advances in modern medicine and changing health care priorities, the time has come for a significant update to the facility.

On Tuesday, Kamloops City Council approved the permit for the new $417 million Patient Care Tower at RIH.

Today, CFJC Today got a peek inside the hole beside the hospital, and a look ahead to what the tower will mean once it’s completed in 2022.

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In that giant hole near Royal Inland Hospital, construction workers toil unseen. But by 2022, the space will be filled with the new Patient Care Tower, which will also fill some significant needs for hospital staff.

Image Credit: CFJC Today

“In that building, we’re going to have maternity [and child services], we’ll have a new neo-natal intensive care unit for our babes, there’s going to be 10 new OR’s [operating rooms],” Meagan Hanson, RIH Health Services Director explains. “We also have three inpatient units consisting of 90 beds, and those are single-patient rooms.”

In August 2018 it was announced EllisDon Infrastructure was awarded the contract to design and build the facility. According to project manager Stefanie Campbell, phase one of construction is progressing on schedule and according to plan.

“We’ve started the foundation structural work, so we’ve poured our footings, our core walls, and our columns,” Campbell says. “Then we’ll be moving into the slabs for the parkade.”

Any time you start digging deep into the dirt, there will be some surprises and challenges. Planning ahead is a big part of ensuring the project isn’t disrupted when one of those surprises pops up.

Image Credit: CFJC Today

“You always end up finding extra utilities or materials in the ground,” Campbell says. “But really, you expect those in construction. We have a lot of experience with hospitals, so we kind of know what to expect and plan ahead for that.”

The first phase of construction includes 209 new parking stalls, a new rooftop helipad, as well as a brand new entrance. As the project progresses, Hanson says the anticipation amongst staff at RIH continues to grow.

“Staff is really, really excited,” Hanson says. “As we see the construction out here behind us… daily, the momentum just grows. The potential of where we’re going to go… we’ll see efficiencies for our staff and for patients and their families.”

Phase one of construction ends once the tower is finished. Phase two of construction includes some improvements to other areas of the hospital.

“There’ll be an expansion to our emergency room, which will be significant,” Hanson says. “Along with that, to our lab… and then also to post-anesthetic recovery and pediatrics.”

The new Patient Care Tower is set for completion in 2022, with Phase 2 of construction scheduled from 2022 until 2024.