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The Rutland Health Centre has reopened its doors at a new location. Services are now accessible at 285 Aurora Cres, Suite 102 in Kelowna. Patient and client focused services offered at the new location include: Routine Immunizations: Infant (2, 4, 6, 12 and 18 months) Kindergarten (4-6 years of age) School ages (boosters and catch-up immunizations for grade 6 and 9) Adult boosters Clinically Extremely Vulnerable populations Early childhood public health nursing assessments for growth and development. Breastfeeding support and clinics. Pregnancy testing, counselling, and referrals. Distribution of harm reduction supplies. Preventive prophylaxis for confirmed communicable diseases, and Tuberculosis screening and follow-up. Health prevention and health promotion services to families. Community dental services, fluoride varnish, assessment. Referrals to speech and language pathologists, audiologists, nutritionists, community dental hygienist or other health-care providers may be offered as part of nursing assessment. The hours of operation for this new location will be from Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Interior Health will offer childhood immunizations and early childhood health assessments on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month from 8:30 a.m. to 6:15 p.m. The clinic is closed on weekends and statutory holidays. Individuals can self-refer for services or receive a referral through a health-care provider. To make an appointment, call 250-980-4825 or drop-in at the site. The former location closed in August following a fire that did extensive damage to that facility.

Clearwater and area residents are advised of temporary changes to emergency department hours at Dr. Helmcken Memorial Hospital due to limited nursing availability. From now until 7 p.m. today, emergency services will be unavailable and patients can access emergency care at Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops. During this time, all other inpatient services will continue as normal 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. The emergency department in Clearwater is normally open 24/7.

Oliver and area residents are advised of temporary changes to emergency department hours at South Okanagan General Hospital due to limited physician availability. Emergency services will be unavailable from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 3. Patients can access care at Penticton Regional Hospital during this time. All other inpatient services will continue as normal at South Okanagan General 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.  The emergency department in Oliver is normally open 24/7.

Oliver and area residents are advised of temporary changes to emergency department hours at South Okanagan General Hospital due to limited physician availability. Emergency services will be unavailable from 6 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 1 to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 2. Patients can access care at Penticton Regional Hospital during this time. All other inpatient services will continue as normal at South Okanagan General 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.  The emergency department in Oliver is normally open 24/7.

Oliver and area residents are advised of temporary changes to emergency department hours at South Okanagan General Hospital due to limited physician availability. Emergency services will be unavailable from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 29. Patients can access care at Penticton Regional Hospital during this time. All other inpatient services will continue as normal at South Okanagan General 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.  The emergency department in Oliver is normally open 24/7.

Oliver and area residents are advised of temporary changes to emergency department hours at South Okanagan General Hospital due to limited physician availability. Emergency services will be unavailable from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 28. Patients can access care at Penticton Regional Hospital during this time. All other inpatient services will continue as normal at South Okanagan General 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.  The emergency department in Oliver is normally open 24/7.

Merritt and area residents are advised of temporary changes to emergency department hours at Nicola Valley Hospital due to limited physician availability. From 8 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 26 to 8 a.m. Monday, Nov. 27, 2023, emergency department services will be unavailable and patients can access care at Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops. During this time, all other inpatient services will continue as normal at Nicola Valley 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.  The emergency department in Merritt is normally open 24/7.

Oliver and area residents are advised of temporary changes to emergency department hours at South Okanagan General Hospital due to limited physician availability.  Emergency services will be unavailable from 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 24 to 8 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 25. Patients can access care at Penticton Regional Hospital during this time. All other inpatient services will continue as normal at South Okanagan General 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.   The emergency department in Oliver is normally open 24/7.  

A new memorandum of understanding between Interior Health (IH) and the seven Interior regional hospital districts (RHDs) will strengthen existing partnerships dedicated to improving care for people in the Interior.  As part of the capital planning process, IH submits a funding request letter to the RHDs each December outlining the equipment, capital improvement projects and digital health investments for each region. The memorandum of understanding strengthens information sharing, transparency and collaboration between Interior Health and the regional hospital districts and outlines additional expectations regarding updates on funded and proposed capital projects. Interior Health has committed to share annual capital plans and forecasts for future priority investments, as well as provide detailed information for major projects over $5 million. The memorandum of understanding will be reviewed every two years by IH and the RHDs. IH is responsible for health-care services and develops an annual capital plan outlining the capital investment needs. As per the Hospital District Act, regional hospital districts provide funding to Interior Health for capital costs associated with the construction, acquisition and maintenance of health-care facilities and major equipment in the local area as identified in the annual capital plan. Regional hospital districts may fund up to 40 per cent of the investment. The seven regional hospital districts in IH include: Cariboo Chilcotin Regional Hospital District, Thompson Regional Hospital District, North Okanagan Shuswap Regional Hospital District, Central Okanagan Regional Hospital District, Okanagan Similkameen Regional Hospital District, West Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital District and Kootenay East Regional Hospital District.  Quotes: Susan Brown, IH President and Chief Executive Officer - “Our regional hospital districts are key partners when it comes to capital projects in our regions. Their financial support to build, renovate and update our health-care facilities is integral to improve patient care and this agreement provides better clarity about the Interior Health planning and funding process,” said Susan Brown, IH President and Chief Executive Officer. “We value the feedback and information provided by the local representatives and this agreement lays out clear expectations regarding sharing information on the projects we are planning and have underway.” Joint quote from Regional Hospital District chairs (see list below) - “The seven Regional Hospital Districts of the interior, working together with Interior Health, have come to an agreement on a framework which will guide the budgeting process for annual capital planning and subsequent investment in health-care facilities throughout our region. This agreement is exciting news and addresses a number of concerns which were the focus of negotiations over the past few months. We are confident this memorandum of understanding is a positive step forward in terms of accountability and will serve to create a better working relationship between Interior Health and the Regional Hospital Districts.”  Al Richmond, Chair, Cariboo Chilcotin Regional Hospital District Mike O’Reilly, Chair, Thompson Regional Hospital District Kevin Acton, Chair, North Okanagan Columbia Shuswap Regional Hospital District Loyal Wooldridge, Chair, Central Okanagan Regional Hospital District Martin Johansen, Chair, Okanagan Similkameen Regional Hospital District Frank Marino, Chair, West Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital District David Wilks, Chair Kootenay East Regional Hospital District