Kamloops hospital construction nearly complete as ER gets major facelift

The emergency department in Kamloops just expanded with a major upgrade that puts some patients in private rooms, and it marks the second-last part of its multi-year overhaul.

Royal Inland Hospital’s acute treatment zone previously had patients separated by curtains and staff would set their computers on any surface they could find to take notes.

Dr. Justin Kopp, who leads the department, said the newly-completed section now has separate, technologically-upgraded rooms for each patient, improving their stay and the work environment for staff.

“This is for our sickest patients, and we have the same number of rooms as our old space, but the care environment is so much better,” he told iNFOnews.ca.

It’s part of a series of upgrades at one of Interior Health’s largest hospitals, starting after the Gaglardi Tower’s completion in 2022. The emergency department itself has been overhauled completely and the acute care zone is the latest after the mental health unit was upgraded last fall.

“That one’s been incredibly helpful. Our prior room space was a converted hallway,” Kopp said. “It has been able to allow people to stay in that space for much longer and more comfortably, and really giving patients back a lot of their dignity.”

The acute treatment area is for patients who need urgent, close attention and where treatments and tests can be done quickly. Though it’s separate from the smaller trauma department, their conditions could change quickly and they’re cared for by specially-trained staff, according to an Interior Health news release.

Announcing the milestone on July 7, Interior Health’s infrastructure and support services vice-president Lorne Sisley said the expansion “demonstrates our ongoing commitment to delivering high-quality care in the region.”

The Royal Inland Hospital renovations are budgeted to cost around $490 million, with $148 million dedicated to various upgrades after the Gaglardi Tower’s opening.

The next and final portion is the trauma and resuscitation zone, which will see its bed space double to four once completed. Kopp said the old rooms were “quite functional,” but the new rooms will be larger and will have better access to scanning equipment.

“We are one of the busiest trauma centres in BC, so this is one of the most important portions of the renovations for us… having this added space when we have multiple trauma patients is quite exciting for us,” Kopp said.

The nearly half-billion-dollar project is expected to wrap up in March 2027, while the Kamloops Cancer Centre is also under construction and will open less than two years later.