Dr. Helmcken Memorial Hospital in Clearwater (Image credit: CFJC Today/File photo).

By Aaron Schulze

Virtual Care Pilot Program

Virtual care pilot programs planned for emergency departments in Clearwater and Lillooet

Oct 22, 2025 | 10:35 AM

CLEARWATER, B.C. — Virtual emergency care pilot programs are being planned for a pair of hospitals in the Southern Interior that have become notorious for emergency department closures in recent years.

Interior Health says an expansion of the Virtual Emergency Room Rural assistance (VERRa) model will be used in hospitals in Clearwater and Lillooet to keep overnight care accessible and relieve the workload on local physicians. The health authority plans to bring the virtual model in-house to enable wider use and timelier coordination.

Hospitals in the communities of Nakusp and Princeton will also be recipients of the expanded VERRa pilot program.

In a news release issued Wednesday (Oct. 22), Interior Health says the four hospitals are similar in size with low overnight patient volumes, which would allow physicians to share responsibilities. The health authority says it would help promote physician wellness and improve staff retention.

“Virtual support has proven its value across many areas of health care and integrating it with local emergency teams will give people in these four communities stronger, more connected care,” said health minister Josie Osborne. “It’s a forward-looking approach that strengthens rural emergency services and ensures patients receive timely, high-quality care.”

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Interior Health says the virtual care has supported in-patient care at Cariboo Memorial Hospital in Williams Lake.

A start date for the pilot program was not mentioned.

According to Interior Health’s website, the Lillooet Hospital and Health Centre emergency department has temporarily closed 45 times in 2025 while the emergency room at Dr. Helmcken Memorial Hospital in Clearwater has had eight temporary closures.