Changes for public access at Cariboo Memorial Hospital in Williams Lake (Jan 11-12, 2025)

Courtesy of Interior Health:

People who visit Cariboo Memorial Hospital (CMH) are advised of temporary changes to vehicle access into the site’s parking area and intermittent traffic delays from Jan. 11-12, 2025.  

As a result of meeting a substantial construction milestone in Phase 1 of the CMH redevelopment project, the 200-foot-tall crane that has been in place for more than one year will be dismantled. This process will impact how the public, patients and some staff access the building. There is no impact to hospital services.

Public diversion for vehicle traffic and partial closure of patient/visitor parking
 
During the dismantling of the crane components, the access lane, between the hospital main entry and the parking lot, will be closed to vehicle traffic, including partial closure of the patient/visitor parking lot. Temporary closure of this area ensures public and staff safety while the crane is being dismantled. 

Jan. 11, 7:30 a.m. to Jan. 12, 5 p.m.

• Vehicle access lane between hospital main entry and parking lot closed
• Pedestrian access through hospital main entry remains open
• Main visitor/patient parking lot remains open, with intermittent traffic delays by flag persons

Jan. 11, 7:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.

• Intermittent traffic delays at entrance to main patient/visitor parking lot access off 6th Ave / Gibbons Street 

Jan. 11, 5 p.m. through Jan. 12. 5 p.m.

• To help guide patients/visitors, signage and flag persons will be posted at strategic locations to alert incoming traffic/pedestrians and direct to alternative locations. All CMH and Deni House entrances will be open and accessible during the traffic diversion and parking lot closures.

Interior Health would like to thank the public and staff for their understanding of these changes as this capital investment continues to modernize the hospital in Williams Lake.

Temporary Closure of Cariboo Memorial Hospital ER - Tuesday, July 23, 2024 to Wednesday, July 24th, 2024

Courtesy of Interior Health:

Williams Lake and area residents are advised of temporary changes to emergency department hours at Cariboo Memorial Hospital.  

Emergency services will be unavailable from 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 23 to 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday, July 24, 2024. Patients can access care at 100 Mile District General Hospital in 100 Mile House, GR Baker Memorial Hospital in Quesnel, or Bella Coola General Hospital in Bella Coola during this time. 

All other inpatient services will continue as normal at Cariboo Memorial Hospital. 

People in the community who need life-threatening emergency care (i.e., chest pains, difficulty breathing, severe bleeding) should always call 9-1-1 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 Cariboo Memorial Hospital is normally open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. 

Williams Lake City Council requests internal review of IH operations and management at CMH in Williams Lake

Courtesy of the City of Williams Lake:

City of Williams Lake Council has requested that Interior Health Authority conduct an internal review of its operations and management at the Cariboo Memorial Hospital in Williams Lake.

Council's request came during a Special Council Meeting held Tuesday evening, July 9 after the emergency room at CMH was temporarily closed five times in the past week due to a cited lack of available nursing staff.

"In light of recent and other ongoing emergency room closures and health care disruptions, I'm asking everyone to come together to help to find a solution," Williams Lake Mayor Surinderpal Rathor said. "Let's focus on working together to figure out a way to fix this situation. The residents of Williams Lake and the surrounding region deserve reliable and responsive health care."

Cariboo Chilcotin Regional Hospital District Board Chair Al Richmond, who was also in attendance at the meeting, noted the District of Clearwater has seen positive results following an internal review of its hospital's operations and management, and said he is hopeful a similar process in Williams Lake will help to improve the situation.

Council is also requesting Interior Health keep the City and other affected organizations, including regional and First Nations governments, informed during the process.

New Maternity Clinic at Cariboo Memorial Hospital

Courtesy of Interior Health:

Starting today, expectant parents in the Cariboo-Chilcotin have improved access to maternity care close to home thanks to a new clinic at Cariboo Memorial Hospital.

The maternity care clinic is a partnership between Interior Health (IH) and the Central Interior Rural Division of Family Practice and is now accepting referrals.

"We are thrilled about the opening of the maternity clinic and what it means for expectant parents, babies and families in the community," said Dr. Ivan Scrooby, family medicine maternity physician in Williams Lake. "The dedicated local facility will allow us to see patients without a referral, provide more comprehensive care, and work as a collaborative team to achieve better outcomes for patients." 

The maternity clinic will operate Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and will be staffed by four physicians, who will provide full scope maternity care. It will have a centralized referral system and will also be supported by a full-time Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) and a medical office assistant (MOA).

Maternity patients will be seen with or without a family care provider and the clinic will accept self-referrals. The comprehensive care model will encompass prenatal care, labour and delivery and postpartum support among other services. IH and the Division are also considering ways to expand the services in the clinic to offer other women’s health-care services.  

Having a clinical space, centralized referral system and dedicated nursing and administrative support will improve access to pregnant and expecting parents and ensure that they can easily receive the care they need with or without a family care provider. The clinic is also expected to help attract and retain health-care providers by creating a sustainable and supportive practice environment.

“Collaboration between IH and the Division to establish the maternity clinic demonstrates a joint commitment to addressing the challenges faced by rural communities in accessing care close to home,” said Jill Zirnhelt, executive director, Central Interior Rural Division of Family Practice. “Both organizations are dedicated to creating diverse opportunities for providers to attract and retain new health-care professionals in the area.” 

Expectant parents without a primary provider can directly book an appointment by calling 250-302-3294. The clinic is located on the main floor of Cariboo Memorial Hospital in room 1207 (behind the main reception desk).

Cariboo Memorial Hospital Update - April 14th, 2023

Courtesy of Interior Health:

Interior Health confirms physician coverage continues for all shifts for the Cariboo Memorial Hospital (CMH) inpatient medical unit with local and visiting physicians. Patients will be admitted to CMH unless their medical needs require transfer to a higher level of care.

Our priority is to maintain local access to hospital care. We are grateful for the amazing work of our local physicians, staff and leadership and their collective dedication to patients in the Cariboo. We also thank the physicians from other communities who are travelling to maintain key medical services in Williams Lake.

Physician staffing challenges remain and we still need additional physicians to stabilize services at CMH. Along with our current physicians, the Central Interior Rural Division of Family Practice and the Ministry of Health, we are committed to actively pursuing all avenues to bring additional physicians to Williams Lake.

It is important to stress that the emergency department at CMH is open for any patients who need emergency care.

 Interior Health will provide additional updates as more information is available.

Cariboo Memorial Hospital to remain open over Easter Long Weekend!

Courtesy of Interior Health:

The Cariboo Memorial Hospital (CMH) in-patient medical unit in Williams Lake will continue to operate as usual for the Easter long weekend. 

Patients requiring admission to CMH will be admitted unless they need a level of care that would always require a transfer to a higher level of care. We continue to work urgently to address Physician staffing shortages at the hospital. 

We are very grateful for the local staff who have been ensuring coverage so that patient care can continue as usual, and also to the physicians from other communities who are travelling to maintain these medical services in Williams Lake. 

 Interior Health recognizes how important these local services at CMH are for Williams Lake and the broader region – we know the impact any changes would have on patients and families. Our commitment is to do everything possible to avoid service interruptions. 

 In the event a service interruption is unavoidable, Interior Health will notify the community at the earliest possible opportunity. 

 It is important to stress that the emergency department at CMH is open for any patients who need emergency care. 

 Interior Health will provide additional updates as more information is available.

Cariboo Memorial Hospital redevelopment moves closer to construction

Courtesy of the Government of BC:

People in Williams Lake and the Cariboo-Chilcotin are a step closer to having enhanced health care close to home as Interior Health has signed a contract for the construction of the Cariboo Memorial Hospital (CMH) redevelopment project with the preferred proponent, Graham Design Builders LP.

“Signing this contract is a major milestone in the Cariboo Memorial Hospital redevelopment project,” said the Hon. Adrian Dix, BC's Minister of Health. “Soon people will see shovels in the ground as the modernized and expanded hospital begins to take shape. With a new emergency department, mental-health unit and cancer department, the redeveloped CMH will be a gamechanger for decades to come.”

While Al Richmond - Chair of the Cariboo-Chilcotin Regional Hospital District stated:

“We are excited to see this significant milestone achieved for the Cariboo Memorial Hospital redevelopment project. I express our gratitude to Minister Dix for delivering on his commitment to proceed with this greatly needed upgrade to a critical health-care facility. Along with the numerous other improvements to this critical facility, we are particularly pleased to see the increased number of care beds, a dedicated mental-health and substance-use unit, and space for UBC’s Faculty of Medicine. We are also excited to see the benefits that will come from the interfaith sacred space to support the traditional cultural and healing practices of Indigenous persons living in the Cariboo-Chilcotin.”

The CMH redevelopment project includes an addition to the existing hospital as well as renovations to the existing facility. The addition will be three storeys, plus a basement, and approximately 9,300 square metres (100,100 square feet). The redevelopment will add 25 in-patient beds for a total of 53.

People will have increased access to health-care services as the expanded hospital will include a new emergency department, medical/surgical in-patient unit and mental-health and substance-use in-patient unit as well as an expanded ambulatory care and oncology unit, maternity and women’s health unit and pharmacy. The hospital will also include administrative, educational and training spaces for the University of British Columbia’s Faculty of Medicine.

Construction will happen in two phases. Phase 1, which includes the addition, will begin in spring 2023 and is expected to finish in fall 2026. Phase 2, which includes renovations to the existing hospital, will begin in fall 2026 and is scheduled to be complete in early 2029.

The budget for the project is more than $366 million and will be shared by the Province and the Cariboo Chilcotin Regional Hospital District.

Backgrounder:

The redeveloped Cariboo Memorial Hospital will include the following features:

• A new emergency department with 23 treatment spaces, an increase of 12; two trauma treatment bays; a seclusion room; an ambulance carport and a separate public entrance.
• A new medical/surgical inpatient unit with 36 beds, an increase of 16.
• A new mental-health and substance-use inpatient unit with eight single-occupancy rooms and a patient seclusion room.
• An expanded ambulatory care and oncology unit with 16 renovated treatment spaces.
• An expanded maternity and women’s health unit with four single-occupancy rooms for maternity care, two nursery rooms and two women’s health beds in private rooms. The maternity area will allow parents to stay in the same room with their babies until they are ready to go home.
• An expanded pharmacy, providing additional space for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians.
• An interfaith sacred space, which will allow for traditional cultural and healing practices.
• 71 new parking stalls.

As part of the Province’s commitment to environmental sustainability and green buildings, the addition at CMH will be designed and constructed to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification at a minimum.