Dialysis patients in the North Okanagan will have a brand-new facility and increased access to dedicated dialysis services with the opening of the relocated Vernon Community Dialysis Unit as of Monday, May 5. “For people living with chronic kidney disease, access to timely, high-quality care makes the world of difference,” said Josie Osborne, Minister of Health. “This new dialysis unit will ensure that people in Vernon can get comprehensive, compassionate care in their home communities, and is a reflection of our commitment to improving health services for patients in the North Okanagan. I’m deeply grateful to the health-care teams and community partners who made this new space a reality.” To meet the needs of the growing population in Vernon and surrounding areas, the Vernon Community Dialysis Unit (CDU) has relocated to Unit #400-4400 32nd Street, Vernon, B.C. Dialysis treatment is provided six days a week, Monday to Saturday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. The new CDU increases dialysis treatment chairs from nine to 15 and means up to 14,040 dialysis treatments will be provided annually, up from 8,424.  “As a registered nurse and MLA, I know how life-changing and life saving access to dialysis care can be for people living with chronic kidney disease,” said Harwinder Sandhu, MLA for Vernon-Lumby. “That’s why I’m so proud to see this new facility opening its doors to patients, It’s the result of strong collaboration with local partners and a shared commitment to improving health care for people in the North Okanagan.” The Vernon CDU will provide ceiling lifts to assist nursing staff in providing dialysis treatment to patients with mobility challenges, as well as droplet-precaution rooms that meet infection prevention and control standards to provide treatment for people with communicable diseases. Each dialysis station will be equipped with a ceiling-mounted radiant heater to accommodate patients with kidney disease who are more sensitive to cold due to vascular disease. “Expanding the Community Dialysis Unit in the North Okanagan will improve access to life-sustaining care for people living with chronic kidney disease,” said Susan Brown, president and CEO, Interior Health. “We are committed to making it easier for patients to access consistent, high-quality support, ultimately leading to better health and well-being.” Additionally, the Vernon CDU will allow nurses to offer training for home dialysis modalities, such as peritoneal dialysis and home hemodialysis, reducing the need for patients to travel to Kelowna General Hospital (KGH) for this initial training. “With this new facility in Vernon, Interior Health will improve access to care while prioritizing culturally safe, person-centered services,” said Dr. Adeera Levin, executive director of BC Renal. “This initiative aligns with BC Renal’s commitment to providing care that respects the diverse needs and experiences of patients in their communities. It also promotes independent and home-based therapies, which lead to improved health outcomes and a better quality of life." A donation provided by the Vernon Jubilee Hospital Foundation supported this new space with patient lockers, wall murals, additional furniture, emotional support pet beds, bariatric hemodialysis chairs, and enhancements to the waiting room and hybrid rooms. “We wanted to help enhance patient comfort and create a space that is welcoming and culturally respectful,” said Kate McBrearty, executive director, Vernon Jubilee Hospital Foundation. “Our intention was to ‘brighten’ the overall patient experience while dialysis patients receive treatment.” The Vernon Community Dialysis Unit will serve people throughout the North Okanagan and across syilx Nation Territory. Urban and away Indigenous patients, as well as members of the Vernon and District Métis Association, will also have access to services from the new site. Dialysis is a life-sustaining treatment that is typically required three times a week. Community dialysis units are strategically located to offer treatments closer to patients’ homes. The Vernon CDU relocation and renovation project budget is $5.1 million including $4.1 million from BC Renal and $95,000 from the Vernon Jubilee Hospital Foundation. To learn more about kidney health and renal programs and services in Interior Health, visit: https://www.interiorhealth.ca/health-and-wellness/healthy-living/kidney-health. To learn more, watch the Vernon Community Dialysis Unit video here.

Please see the attached document to learn more about the look, contamination, and risk associated with the current drug alert.  

Lillooet and area residents are advised of temporary changes to emergency department hours at Lillooet Hospital and Health Centre. Emergency services will be unavailable from 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 30 to 8 a.m. on Friday, May 2, 2025. Patients can access emergency care at Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops during this time.  All other inpatient services will continue at Lillooet Hospital and Health Centre. People in the community who need life-threatening emergency care (i.e., chest pains, difficulty breathing, severe bleeding) should always call 911 for transport to the nearest available and appropriate facility.  Anyone unsure whether an emergency room visit is warranted can call HealthLink BC at 8-1-1, or visit www.HealthLinkBC.ca for non-emergency health information from nurses, dietitians and pharmacists 24 hours a day, seven days per week. 

Lillooet and area residents are advised of temporary changes to emergency department hours at Lillooet Hospital and Health Centre. Emergency services will be unavailable from 7 p.m. on Monday, April 28 to 8 a.m. on Tuesday, April 29, 2025. Patients can access emergency care at Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops during this time.  All other inpatient services will continue at Lillooet Hospital and Health Centre.   People in the community who need life-threatening emergency care (i.e., chest pains, difficulty breathing, severe bleeding) should always call 911 for transport to the nearest available and appropriate facility.  Anyone unsure whether an emergency room visit is warranted can call HealthLink BC at 8-1-1, or visit www.HealthLinkBC.ca for non-emergency health information from nurses, dietitians and pharmacists 24 hours a day, seven days per week.

100 Mile House and area residents are advised of temporary changes to emergency department hours at 100 Mile District General Hospital. Emergency department services will be unavailable from 9 p.m. on Sunday, April 27 to 7 a.m. on Monday, April 28, 2025. Patients can access care at Cariboo Memorial Hospital in Williams Lake or Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops. People in the community who need life-threatening emergency care (i.e., chest pains, difficulty breathing, severe bleeding) should always call 911 for transport to the nearest available and appropriate facility.  Anyone unsure whether an emergency room visit is warranted can call HealthLink BC at 811, or visit www.HealthLinkBC.ca for non-emergency health information from nurses, dietitians and pharmacists 24 hours a day, seven days per week. 

100 Mile House and area residents are advised of temporary changes to emergency department hours at 100 Mile District General Hospital. Emergency department services will be unavailable from 9 p.m. on Saturday, April 26 to 7 a.m. on Sunday, April 27, 2025. Patients can access care at Cariboo Memorial Hospital in Williams Lake or Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops. People in the community who need life-threatening emergency care (i.e., chest pains, difficulty breathing, severe bleeding) should always call 911 for transport to the nearest available and appropriate facility.  Anyone unsure whether an emergency room visit is warranted can call HealthLink BC at 811, or visit www.HealthLinkBC.ca for non-emergency health information from nurses, dietitians and pharmacists 24 hours a day, seven days per week. 

Clearwater and area residents are advised of temporary changes to emergency department hours at Dr. Helmcken Memorial Hospital. Emergency services will be unavailable from 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 26 to 8 p.m. to Sunday, April 27, 2025. Patients can access emergency care at Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops during this time.  All other inpatient services will continue at Dr. Helmcken Memorial Hospital.   People in the community who need life-threatening emergency care (i.e., chest pains, difficulty breathing, severe bleeding) should always call 911 for transport to the nearest available and appropriate facility.  Anyone unsure whether an emergency room visit is warranted can call HealthLink BC at 8-1-1, or visit www.HealthLinkBC.ca for non-emergency health information from nurses, dietitians and pharmacists 24 hours a day, seven days per week. 

Lillooet and area residents are advised of temporary changes to emergency department hours at Lillooet Hospital and Health Centre. Emergency services will be unavailable from 7 p.m. on Friday, April 25 to 8 a.m. on Saturday, April 26, 2025. Patients can access emergency care at Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops during this time.  All other inpatient services will continue at Lillooet Hospital and Health Centre.   People in the community who need life-threatening emergency care (i.e., chest pains, difficulty breathing, severe bleeding) should always call 911 for transport to the nearest available and appropriate facility.  Anyone unsure whether an emergency room visit is warranted can call HealthLink BC at 8-1-1, or visit www.HealthLinkBC.ca for non-emergency health information from nurses, dietitians and pharmacists 24 hours a day, seven days per week. 

Today, people in the interior of British Columbia are benefiting from increased access to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) exams and shorter wait times with the opening of two new, state-of-the-art MRI machines and an expanded medical imaging department at Kelowna General Hospital (KGH). “With shorter wait times, enhanced privacy and improved quality of care, patients can feel more supported and confident in their health journey,” said Josie Osborne, Minister of Health. “This investment will ensure that people in Kelowna have timely access to high-quality diagnostic services, leading to better health outcomes for patients and helping to save lives.”  A new, single-storey building was added to the existing KGH Medical Imaging (MI) department to accommodate a new 3T MRI scanner and 1.5T MRI replacement scanner. The technology embedded into these MRI scanners makes them quicker, while providing exceptional image quality. The incorporation of artificial intelligence (AI) has further increased exam speed and improved workflows. “Interior Health is delivering on its commitment to significantly improve access to MRI exams for people in our region,” said Susan Brown, president and CEO, Interior Health. “The new MRI machines at Kelowna General Hospital will be able to perform up to 15,000 MRI exams annually, operating 17 hours a day, seven days a week.”  With phase 1 of the KGH MI department expansion project complete, phase 2 is set to begin in early May. Phase 2 includes renovation of the existing department, removal of the existing 1.5T MRI machine and upgrades to the patient/visitor waiting room. Completion is estimated in early 2026. “The Central Okanagan Regional Hospital District is proud to support the expansion of Kelowna General Hospital's Medical Imaging department,” said Tom Dyas, Chair of the Central Okanagan Regional Hospital District. "The addition of state-of-the-art MRI machines will significantly enhance the quality of health care in our community, ensuring timely and accurate diagnoses, better treatment outcomes, and improved health care for everyone in the Central Okanagan region." "Because of the support of donors, more patients will benefit from faster, more precise imaging, leading to earlier diagnoses and better treatment options,” said Allison Young, CEO, KGH Foundation. “This kind generosity is changing lives and we are profoundly grateful to the community.”  MRI machines are used to diagnose medical conditions such as abnormalities of the brain, as well as tumours, cysts and soft-tissue injuries in other parts of the body. These state-of-the-art units have the ability to diagnose complex conditions, such as neurological disease, certain heart diseases and some cancers. MRIs can help facilitate early diagnosis and treatment of medical conditions, vastly improving a person’s quality of life. KGH medical imaging services are available by referral seven days a week, 17 hours a day (7 a.m. to 12 a.m.).  The estimated project cost is $37.8 million with the Central Okanagan Regional Hospital District contributing $13.4 million and the KGH Foundation contributing $4.3 million. To learn more, watch the Interior Health video here.