Interior Health Authority

Kamloops has two New Year’s babies

KAMLOOPS – There were two New Year’s babies born in Kamloops yesterday. The baby girls were both born at Royal Inland Hospital at 12:35 a.m., Friday, Jan. 1, 2016, according to Interior Health spokesperson Tara Gostelow. Gostelow says Lauren and Cole Martin of Kamloops welcomed their first born Harper Noelle Martin who weighed 7 lbs.,...

Crane at Royal Inland Hospital construction site set to come down

KAMLOOPS - Construction on the Royal Inland Hospital’s clinical services building and parkade continues move along, with a summer 2016 opening date being planned. “With exterior work nearly complete, the building is transforming into a modern healthcare facility and parking structure,” Tracy Watson of Interior Health says. When the pedestrian bridge was placed Sept. 25,...

Routine HIV testing rolls out in Interior Health hospitals

Patients can expect to be offered an HIV test when receiving blood work in Interior Health hospitals. To date, seven Interior Health emergency departments have started offering an HIV test routinely and additional sites are expected to be on board in the coming months. “B.C. is recognized as a global leader in the fight against...

Three-year art project celebrates breastfeeding

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Interior Health is searching for artists and community members to create pieces for an expo aimed at exploring the topic of breastfeeding through art. Interior Health Project Coordinator Karen Graham says the three-year project called the Breastfeeding Art Expo is in its preliminary stages but the call went out to the entire Interior...

Okanagan to get more residential care beds for the elderly

KELOWNA – Two cities in the Okanagan will be getting significantly more care beds for the elderly sometime in the future, according to an Interior Health announcement Tuesday. Kelowna-Mission MLA Steve Thompson says the beds, which are for seniors with complex care requirements requiring round-the-clock care, will help more than just Okanagan seniors. “These additional...

Interior Health seeks outside laundry service providers

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Interior Health is moving forward with a plan to privatize laundry service in the region. The organization says it is now seeking more information from pre-qualified service providers recently identified. This will allow Interior Health to look at the external options available, something it hopes will help reduce necessary capital costs to upgrade...

New president and CEO announced for Interior Health

KELOWNA - A new president and chief executive officer has been named for the Interior Health Authority. It was announced at a board meeting today, Oct. 6, that Chris Mazurkewich will take over as president and CEO on Oct. 26. He is replacing Dr. Robert Halpenny, who announced his resignation earlier this year. Halpenny’s last...

Penticton hospital care facility temporarily locked down after verbal threat

PENTICTON - A fired employee threatened a manager last week, putting a long term care facility at Penticton Regional Hospital in lockdown. On Tuesday, Oct. 27, an employee of the facility who was fired threatened a manager while leaving, stating the manager 'wouldn’t make it out of the building alive,' Penticton RCMP media spokesperson Cpl....

New Interior Health CEO praises South Okanagan-Similkameen health care

PENTICTON - Provincial capital funding for health has been outstanding in the past decade, according to the new Chief Executive Officer of Interior Health. Chris Mazurkewich and other Interior Health officials met with members of the press this week to discuss local health issues as he toured the South Okanagan-Similkameen. “I think the track record...

West Kelowna close to finalizing deal for new City Hall

WEST KELOWNA – West Kelowna is taking the next step in the process of building a new city hall and civic centre. The city is wrapping up negotiations with a developer to build the complex and now will ask taxpayers for permission to borrow up to $10.5 million, according to a media release. “This is...

Another reprieve for Interior Health laundry workers

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - The Hospital Employees’ Union is welcoming news that Interior Health is delaying its decision to contract out laundry services. New Interior Health President and CEO Chris Mazurkewich says in a release today, Nov. 25, not to expect a decision before March 2016. He’s been on the job less than a month and wants...

Interior Health Authority old stomping ground for new CEO

KELOWNA - The new head of the Interior Health Authority spent the first week on the job travelling and expects to to do a lot more before things settle down. “I was out talking with staff, physicians, community leaders, volunteers. I’m just going around to communities and listening to what people are telling me. I...

Flu shot season in the Southern Interior

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - With the peak of flu season just a few weeks away, Health Canada has started its yearly vaccination program. Although last year’s flu vaccine wasn’t particularly effective, Interior Health medical officer Kamran Golmohammadi says, this year’s vaccine cocktail will target the more severe of the two types of viruses – Type A. Every...

Pilot project could put baskets of free condoms in Okanagan schools

VERNON - Baskets of condoms could soon be coming to local high schools as way of putting protection in the hands of those who need it — no questions asked. About 14 schools in B.C.’s Interior have free condoms available, but students have to ask for them, Vernon School District health coordinator Christine Balfour says....