KELOWNA - Construction of the new Interior Heart and Surgical Centre
(IHSC) surgical building is one step closer with the signing of an
agreement with Plenary Health to deliver the new facility.
Plenary Health delivered a proposal that reduced the capital-
construction and operating costs. The construction schedule has also
been shortened by several months in part by changing the method of
ground preparation.
All health-care services will continue to be funded by the government
of B.C. and delivered by Interior Health. The B.C. government
maintains control and decision-making over services and owns the
facilities during and after the life of the agreement.
The final agreement with Plenary Health is a fixed-price,
performance-based agreement to design, build, partially finance and
maintain the new facility. The total cost of the IHSC surgical
building component is $169.1 million. Construction is expected to
start in autumn 2012, with anticipated completion by early 2015. The
centre is expected to be open to patients in mid-2015.
The surgical building will provide a permanent location for cardiac
surgical services and programs at Kelowna General Hospital (KGH). The
centre will have state-of-the-art surgical facilities, a medical
device reprocessing department, cardiac intensive care and post-
operative recovery.
In keeping with the B.C. government's commitment to environmental
sustainability and green buildings, the IHSC will be designed and
built to achieve LEED Gold certification, and maximize the use of
wood in the interior and exterior of the facility in keeping with the
Wood First Act.
The IHSC project is bringing cardiac care and surgery programs closer
to home for those living in the Southern Interior. The overall IHSC
project includes the IHSC building, the Dr. Walter Anderson building,
renovations to the existing Royal and Strathcona buildings and fit-
outs in the new Centennial building. Approximate total investment is
$367 million, with $70.7 million from the Central Okanagan Regional
Hospital District.
As a part of the project, cardiac intervention procedures were
launched at KGH in 2009. Previously, percutaneous coronary
intervention's (PCIs) were only performed at Royal Columbian
Hospital, Royal Jubilee Hospital, St. Paul's Hospital and Vancouver
General Hospital. Since its inception, more than 2,000 individuals
have received PCIs at KGH.
The government of British Columbia has invested around $1.5 billion
dollars in capital projects in the Interior since 2001. This includes
a new Centennial Tower at Kelowna General Hospital, Polson Tower at
Vernon Jubilee Hospital and the development of UBC's Southern Medical
Program.
Quotes:
Michael de Jong, Minister of Health:
"A big step has been taken with the announcement that very complex
and detailed financial negotiations with Plenary Health have now
concluded and a final agreement has been reached. British Columbian
families in the Interior can now look forward to construction on the
surgical centre to start this fall."
Norm Letnick, MLA, Kelowna-Lake Country:
"With this investment of $367 million, that brings total health
capital investment in the Interior since 2001 to around $1.5 billion
dollars."
Ben Stewart, MLA, Westside-Kelowna:
"With the contract negotiations successfully concluded, I look
forward to seeing construction of the new surgical centre start this
fall. The integrated critical care facility will provide a full range
of support closer to where people live."
Steve Thomson, MLA, Kelowna-Mission:
"The surgical centre that will be built will save lives by providing
timely, life-saving therapies and surgeries to area residents who
previously would have had to be transported to the coast."
Robert Hobson, chair, Central Okanagan Regional Hospital District:
"It's certainly good news that a contract has been reached on the
scope of the surgical building. On behalf of the Central Okanagan
Regional Hospital District, I'd like to thank everyone involved in
the financial negotiations, as we now turn to the actual construction
of the facility."
Norman Embree, Interior Health chair:
"Interior Health is pleased that contract negotiations are now
complete and an agreement has been reach with Plenary Health. It's
time to get the shovels in the ground for the new surgical centre."
Connect with the Province of B.C. at www.gov.bc.ca/connect
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