New operating rooms coming to Kelowna, Kamloops

Surgical capacity is being increased in the Interior with the addition of five new operating rooms.

Two of the new ORs will be at Kelowna General Hospital and three will be at Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops.

Additional support staff will be added to the hospitals to ensure the new facilities can properly function.

“The increase in operating rooms is welcomed news for our staff, physicians and, most importantly, our patients,” said Susan Brown, president and CEO, Interior Health.

“Our hospitals continue to feel the pressures created over the last few years as we postponed surgical services to focus on critical care, which is creating a surge in demand for these services today. The additional funding will help meet our commitment to drive down wait times for patients and increase our capacity on an ongoing basis.”

The operating rooms at KGH will go in existing, unused space in the Interior Heart and Surgical Centre, raising the rooms available from 14 to 16. The new ORs are expected to be open in spring 2023 following the installation of additional surgical equipment.

Once operational, the ORs will support an additional 3,600 OR hours or approximately 2,500 surgeries annually at KGH.

In Kamloops, the new ORs will bring the base operating rooms at RIH to 13 and support the addition of 5,400 OR hours or 3,240 surgeries annually. The ORs at RIH are also expected to open in 2023.

The KGH OR expansion is supported by a one-time $6.9-million capital investment, while the expansion at RIH is funded by a one-time $6.7-million investment. The Central Okanagan Regional Hospital District contributed $2.76-million for these expansions, while the province provided $4.14-million.

“Supporting the health-care needs of people in our region is paramount. The expansion of the OR at KGH will work to immediately reduce wait lists and improve access to surgery,” said Loyal Wooldridge, chair of the Central Okanagan Regional Hospital District Board.

“This is fantastic news and a great way for the regional hospital district to support capital needs at KGH.”