Overhaul of Vancouver General Hospital Emergency Department Complete
July 16th, 2007
Vancouver- The completion of extensive
renovations to the Emergency Department at Vancouver General
Hospital will increase patient capacity, improve infection control
and introduce a new donor-funded CT scanner to British
Columbia’s busiest trauma hospital.
“The emergency department improvements unveiled today
and Canada’s first-ever dual source scanner will assist
care providers in better diagnosing critically ill and trauma
patients who come to Vancouver General Hospital from all over the
province,” said Health Minister George Abbott
“All across British Columbia, patients and their care
providers are benefiting from modernized and upgraded facilities
that deliver the best patient care possible.”
The renovations cost $3.7 million and were completed in four phases
over 16 months. The number of patient beds has been increased from
22 to 28, with sliding glass doors between many beds to maintain
patient privacy and dignity and provide infection control between
patients. Other improvements and additions include:
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Reconfiguration of the radiology section with the Emergency
Department (ED), including the creation of a reception area, to
better accommodate patients and create space for the first dual
source CT scanner in Canada;
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Creation of a negative pressure pandemic triage area;
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Installation of enhanced security features;
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Addition of psychiatric observation rooms;
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New nurses station; and
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Improvements to the isolation rooms.
“The Emergency Department at VGH handles 66,000
patients a year, a figure that is increasing at a rate of four per
cent annually,” noted VCH president and CEO Ida
Goodreau. “These renovations will enable us to provide
quality care in a more efficient and patient-focused
environment.”
A major addition to the Emergency Department and trauma unit at VGH
is a new donor-funded dual source CT (computed tomography) scanner.
A CT scanner uses special X-ray equipment to obtain image data from
different angles around the body and then uses computer processing
of the information to show a cross-section of body tissues and
organs.
Rapid diagnosis is crucial during the “golden
hour” – the first 60 minutes that follows a
traumatic injury, when immediate care is essential to the
patient’s survival. This advanced and sophisticated CT
scanner optimizes the “golden hour.” It
uses two X-ray sources and two detectors at the same time,
operating about twice as fast as a 64-slice scanner
“Because of its greater speed, the scanner exposes the
patient to only half the radiation dose of a regular
machine,” explained Dr. Nestor Muller, regional medical
director, radiology. “And because it’s
faster, it allows us to obtain higher quality images of the heart,
allowing for much better characterization of normal and abnormal
tissue and improved diagnosis.”
VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation spearheaded the fundraising for
the new $2.6-million CT scanner with gifts from Gordon and Leslie
Diamond and donors to the Foundation’s ‘in
it for life’ Fund, which supports the areas of greatest
need at VGH, UBC Hospital and GF Strong Rehab Centre to purchase
life-saving equipment. In 2006, the newest building on the VGH site
was named the Gordon and Leslie Diamond Health Care Centre to
recognize the $20 million gift the couple bestowed on the hospital.
“We thank Gordon and Leslie Diamond and the many donors
to our ‘in it for life’ Fund for their
tremendous contribution towards supporting specialized care at
Vancouver General Hospital,” said Ron Dumouchelle,
president and CEO of the VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation.
“The outstanding generosity of philanthropic partners
helps support a world-class facility like VGH.”
Across British Columbia, more MRI and CT scanners are resulting in
thousands more exams. Since 2001/02, B.C. has acquired 13 new CT
scanners for hospitals giving a current total of 45 CT scanners.
And since 2001/02, B.C. has acquired 10 new MRI scanners for
hospitals giving a current total of 19 MRI scanners. The Province
also purchased its first publicly funded PET scanner in 2005.
Better access results in thousands more MRI and CT exams. In the
last four years, the province performed 38 per cent more CT exams
and 62 per cent more MRI exams.
VCH is responsible for the delivery of $2 billion in community,
hospital and residential care to over one million people in
communities from Richmond through Vancouver, the North Shore,
Sunshine Coast, Sea to Sky corridor, Powell River, Bella Bella and
Bella Coola.
VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation is a registered charity that
raises funding for the latest, most sophisticated medical
equipment, leading-edge research and improvements to patient care
for Vancouver General Hospital, UBC Hospital, GF Strong Rehab
Centre and Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute. Last year,
the Foundation raised nearly $35 million for world-class health
care for people across B.C.
British Columbia’s health system will benefit from
investments such as new medical equipment and modernized emergency
departments over the next three years as part of the $2.1-billion
health sector capital plan.
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For more information:
Marisa Adair
Communications Director
Ministry of Health
Tel: 250.952.1887
Cell: 250.920.8500
Viviana Zanocco
Senior Media Relations Officer
Vancouver Coastal Health
Cell: 604.612.8053
Jon Hicke
Director, Marketing & Communications
VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation
Tel: 604.875.5196
[email protected]