Courtesy of Interior Health:
Interior Health (IH) is committed to ongoing work with local partners as part of a dedicated task force to improve service stability and reliability at the 100 Mile District General Hospital emergency department, especially as we head into the busy summer months.As stabilization of Emergency Department services progress, we are committed to providing residents with access to safe, high-quality emergency care, and are working hard to maintain 24/7 emergency department services. Today, we are updating the community on the task force’s most recent efforts, which have considered input from 100 Mile House Mayor Maureen Pinkney, the Cariboo Chilcotin Regional Hospital District, Indigenous communities and the local Division of Family Practice.
Progress includes the following:
1) Welcoming new primary care providers
Two new primary care providers have recently arrived in 100 Mile and are accepting new patients who have registered on the BC Health Connect Registry. Three more providers are expected to arrive in 2027 as part of the Practice Ready Assessment (PRA) program and are anticipated to be able to support emergency coverage. We will continue to keep the public updated on this progress.
2) Expanding nurse practitioner roles
We are exploring opportunities to integrate nurse practitioners (NPs) more fully within emergency departments. This approach would see IH-employed NPs working in collaboration with physicians, while supporting the thoughtful, phased expansion of NP scope of practice to improve access and continuity of care.
Accommodations for health-care workers: IH and the Division of Family Practice have established housing programs for traveling staff and medical staff with secured leases in the community and access to hotel accommodations for shorter stays.
Discussions are also ongoing about a potential virtual care model in the ED to safely support local care needs, reduce service interruptions and help support physician workload.
While progress continues, staffing remains a challenge, particularly during the summer months due to vacations and broader workforce shortages, with greatest pressures occurring on weekends. IH is actively reviewing and coordinating schedules to identify gaps and is doing everything we can to fill them wherever possible through locum and staffing coverage options.
How you can help with these efforts
Utilize primary care clinics for non-urgent needs:
Same-day primary care appointments are available in 100 Mile House through your local physician clinics and offices. Connecting with your physician or NP for non-urgent matters helps alleviate pressure on the emergency department and wait times. If you have a doctor or NP, please call ahead to confirm availability of same day appointments.
Book a Pharmacy Appointment:
Pharmacists are an important part of health care delivery and offer a wide variety of services. People can book an appointment or walk-in to an available pharmacy to discuss minor ailments, prescriptions and other health needs.
Be your own best health advocate:
If you see your physician for care and a follow-up appointment is required, consider booking your next appointment immediately following advice from your provider to help avoid longer wait times.
Register for a primary care provider on the BC Health Connect Registry:
Information from this registry helps determine the number of physicians in communities including 100 Mile House.
Complete the community health survey: The Central Interior Rural Division of Family Practice is seeking input from 100 Mile House and area residents to better understand how people access primary health care. The information collected will support future health-care planning. The survey is active until July 25, 2026 and participants may remain anonymous and can be completed at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/6BLSVJ2
