Interior Health presents to the TRHD, June 20 (image credit - CFJC Today)

By Michael Reeve

KAMLOOPS CANCER CENTRE

As hospital district approves funding for Kamloops cancer centre, focus shifts to potential operational challenges

Jun 20, 2024 | 7:00 PM

KAMLOOPS — On Thursday (June 20) morning, the Thompson Regional Hospital District board approved its share of the Kamloops cancer care project, totaling just over $45.1 million.

In doing so, the project slated to open to patients in 2028 took another major step toward reality, after Health Minister Adrian Dix announced the request for proposal stage had begun on Monday (June 17).

But as the project moves ahead, the hospital board is raising alarms about how both the provincial health authority which will run radiation and Interior Health, which operates chemotherapy, will work together to provide the care.

“I think as we work through the workflow and how that works, I think we will work through that,” said Gerry Desilets, Royal Inland Hospital Executive Director. “The Kelowna cancer clinic is different because it is a comprehensive cancer centre that is run by BC Cancer and not Interior Health. But there is a lot of connection with Kelowna General with surgeries, and even our OR at RIH with surgeries. There are a lot of those connections with patients that they often are going between different health authorities and getting some care with BC Cancer and some care with Interior Health and other health authorities.”

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While opening of the centre is still four years away, the board is working to get answers on whether this model is best for patients of the region.

“That is something that is going to have to be worked on and there were some very valid and real concerns. Today, at least, we funded to get the cancer centre going on our portion,” said Hospital District Board Chair Mike O’Reilly. “But a lot of work still needs to be done for how it’s going to operate. By being on two sides of the street, through different health authorities — as an example, the independent drug navigator, the oncology department, the pharmacist — there is a lot. But at the end of the day, we got the centre going. Now, we really need to get into the weeds of how the centre will operate.”