Entire Interior Health region benefits from heart monitor upgrade

2 minutes

Interior Health (IH) is upgrading heart monitors across the region, improving patient access to important diagnostic testing, and enhancing timely access for physicians and nurse practitioners to these reports.

A heart (or Holter) monitor is a diagnostic test that monitors cardiac rhythms via continuous electrocardiogram (ECG) tracing over 24 hours or more. This service is offered at 31 sites across IH.

Importance of early intervention for children with hearing loss

4 minutes

Émilie Paquin (pictured above) is a Grade 8 student from Revelstoke. She loves to ski, mountain bike, swim, rock climb, and play volleyball and soccer.

“I can do all of these things – even as a deaf person,” she says, adding that her electronic hearing devices (cochlear implants) have given her “superpowers” that allow her to listen to music without anyone knowing, and even mute her brother when he’s bugging her. She also speaks three languages – English, sign, and French, the latter a result of her parents hailing from Quebec.

Natural Disaster Champions: Responding to 2021 Princeton flooding

2 minutes

Often during an emergency, there are people who stand out as exceptional leaders. Michael-Ann Miller (pictured above), clinical operations manager in the South Okanagan (SOK), is one of them.

In the fall of 2021, the Tulameen River crested and flooded the town of Princeton in the SOK. During the flood, with roads and highways cut off due to water rising, Michael-Ann was the eyes and ears on the ground, supporting and coordinating emergency efforts. Homes were devastated, and water, gas and other utilities were impacted. 

Emergency departments connecting more people to opioid use treatment

3 minutes

Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital emergency department nurses: Jane Carlton, Tamara Roscoe, Teresa Myers, and Emily Larochelle.

Interior Health is making the opioid use disorder medication Suboxone widely available in its hospital emergency departments.

Opioid use disorder (OUD) is a treatable medical condition. And, yet, many people living with OUD don’t have a regular care provider who can help connect them to medication. For many, their first exposure to treatment is through an emergency department (ED).

Clearwater ED closed overnight May 15-16

1 minute

Clearwater and area residents are advised of a temporary change to the emergency department hours at Dr. Helmcken Memorial Hospital this evening and overnight due to unforeseen limited staffing availability.

The emergency department will be closed:

  • 4 p.m. May 15 to 7 a.m. May 16

Interior Health regrets this temporary change to normal operations and reminds residents to take note of the following if they require care while the emergency department is closed:

Clearwater ED closed overnight May 14-15

1 minute

Clearwater and area residents are advised of a temporary change to the emergency department hours at Dr. Helmcken Memorial Hospital overnight due to unforeseen limited staffing availability.

The emergency department will be closed:

  • 11 p.m. May 14 to 7 a.m. May 15

Interior Health regrets this temporary change to normal operations and reminds residents to take note of the following if they require care while the emergency department is closed:

  • In the event of an emergency, call 9-1-1