Jim Pattison Foundation commits $5 million for new Interior health centre

An innovative new health care facility for the B.C. Interior is becoming a reality thanks to a committment from a well-known B.C. businessman.

The Jim Pattison Foundation is providing $5 million to the Kelowna General Hospital Foundation to help establish a Centre for Health System Learning and Innovation.

The KGH Foundation said the centre will be the first of its kind with a focus on rural, remote, Indigenous, and community health-care.

“It will primarily be a virtual network that connects innovators, clinical teams, researchers, patients and families, students, partners and investors to come together to discover and implement innovative health-care solutions for the diverse population of the Interior,” a news release stated.

“Once established, the work of the centre will aim to address health-care challenges facing communities through innovative, research-based solutions.”

The donation is the Pattison Foundation’s largest gift to a hospital in B.C.’s Interior and the first that targets innovation.

“Over the past three decades, Jim Pattison, the iconic B.C. business leader and prolific health-care philanthropist, has had a transformative impact through his gifts to major hospital infrastructure projects in the Lower Mainland,” the KGH Foundation stated.

Pattison was unable to attend Wednesday’s event in person, but provided a comment of support on a pre-recorded video.

“I want to say how much we appreciate the opportunity to support the community of Kelowna and its surrounding areas. Congratulations, Kelowna General Hospital,” Pattison said.

The centre will build on the momentum made by the Interior Health Research Network, which started in 2014 with seven people and has now grown to 2,245 members including physicians, staff, clinicians, decision-makers, Aboriginal partners, community members and academics who connect in a variety of ways to discuss research and its application to health-care

Dr. Devin Harris, executive medical director, quality and research for Interior Health and an emergency physician at KGH, said they face a suite of unique challenges in the Interior – servicing dozens of rural and remote communities, navigating rugged geography and seasonal weather, and increasingly, responding to the impacts of extreme climate events such as forest fires and floods.

“This gift is remarkably visionary as it recognizes the need to address the challenges we face in health care differently,” Harris said.

Health Minister Adrian Dix called it a historic day for the future of health care in B.C.’s Interior.

“This gift represents a transformational step forward in reimagining front-line patient care in Indigenous, rural and remote communities through innovation based on research done right here at home,” Dix remarked.

For more information on the campaign and fundraising goals, visit kghfoundation.com

Editor’s note: Vernon Matters, Beach Radio and The Lizard are part of Pattison Media, and are businesses owned by Jim Pattison.