Construction efforts for the $3-million expansion to Squamish General Hospital's emergency department started Monday (March 10).Joan McIntyre, MLA for West Vancouver-Garibaldi, joined Dr. LaVerne Kindree, Coun. Raj Kahlon and Corinne Hamill, Sea to Sky acute services manager, at the hospital to help kick off the expansion on Friday (March 7). "The renovation and expansion of the emergency department demonstrates our commitment to the health and wellbeing of Squamish residents and those in neighbouring communities," said McIntyre."The new emergency department will enhance patient care and will be a welcome addition to our community."The renovation will extend the department into the current driveway and will increase the number of emergency treatment spaces from seven to 12 beds. The waiting area, which now looks more like a front hallway, will be more spacious and a new admitting area will be added to allow patients to register in the emergency area.A new triage area is being created to better identify acuity and urgency of care. The resuscitation room will be modernized with state of the art equipment, which will allow 360 degree access to the patient. A new nursing station will have a direct line of sight into the resuscitation room and waiting area, explained Hamill."Squamish General Hospital's emergency department treats over 15,000 patients each year and has been experiencing an increasing number of visits each month," she said. "The expansion will reduce wait times, improve patient monitoring and improve patient flow - all of which contributes to better service for our patients." Project funding is shared between the province and Vancouver Coastal Health, which is providing $1.3 million, and the Sea to Sky Regional Hospital District, which is adding another $1.15 million. "We have watched our community grow into what it is today and are proud to be a part of the changes to enhance patient care at Squamish General Hospital," said Kahlon as a representative of the Sea to Sky Regional Hospital District. In addition, the Squamish Health Care Foundation Society is providing over $550,000 for new equipment, said society president Dr. Lavern Kindree."The expansion will create a modernized emergency department that will be better equipped to serve our community," he said. "As one of the original doctors in Squamish, I am delighted to be a part of the changes to enhance patient care at Squamish General Hospital."Construction is expected to be completed by January of 2009. The project will be carried out in three phases to allow the emergency department operations to continue.
