Information bulletin
Increasing access to surgery at Squamish General Hospital
VANCOUVER, BC – Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) has opened a second operating room at Squamish General Hospital in order to reduce surgical wait times. The additional OR will be staffed five days per week with surgeons from Squamish and Lions Gate Hospital. Six additional nursing positions will be added to assist with the additional surgeries.With the expanded OR capacity, residents of the Sea to Sky Corridor and the North Shore won’t have to wait as long for several types of surgery. VCH anticipates an additional 576 surgeries will be performed annually at Squamish General Hospital.
Photo (L to R): Jordan Sturdy, MLA for West Vancouver-Sea to Sky; Dr. Kim MacDonald; Nancy Haffey clinical services coordinator.
“Squamish General Hospital is a vital part of complete health care services in the region and this initiative is both important for future growth plans as well as reducing surgical wait times,” said Jordan Sturdy, MLA for West Vancouver-Sea to Sky. “Expanded Squamish operating room hours also builds on the recent announcement of 16 new surgical suites at Vancouver General Hospital, increasing timely access to surgery for the people of the Sea to Sky.”
“Expanding access and providing better supports in communities is a priority for VCH,” says Karin Olson, Chief Operating Officer, Coastal Community of Care, Vancouver Coastal Health. “Increasing our operating room capacity not only supports patients in Squamish, outlying areas and the North Shore, but is also part of VCH’ s goal to better support patients across the region by addressing surgical wait times.”
Squamish General Hospital was built in 1952 and provides a range of services including emergency care, obstetrics, general medicine and chemotherapy. The additional operating room is designed to provide the following types of surgeries:
- Orthopedics
- General surgery
- Urology
- Ear, nose and throat procedures
- Obstetrics/gynecology
- Plastic surgery
Vancouver Coastal Health is responsible for the delivery of $3.2 billion in community, hospital and residential care to more than one million people in communities including Richmond, Vancouver, the North Shore, Sunshine Coast, Sea to Sky corridor, Powell River, Bella Bella and Bella Coola.
FOR MEDIA ENQUIRIES:
Carrie Stefanson
Public Affairs Officer
Vancouver Coastal Health
Office: 604.708.5338
Cell: 604.312.1148
E: carrie.stefanson@vch.ca
