The Government of British Columbia announced that the newly refurbished and relocated cancer care clinic has opened at Richmond Hospital.
“The opening of the modernized cancer clinic marks a significant milestone toward strengthening our public health-care system and connecting people with the care they need in their own communities,” said Adrian Dix, Minister of Health. “The cancer clinic is part of the Richmond Hospital redevelopment project and is an example of work being done across the province to upgrade or expand hospitals, empowering health-care workers to continue to deliver people-focused services and high-quality care.”
With work on Phase 1 well underway, renovations are wrapping up on the ground floor of the Milan Ilich Pavilion. They include the updated cancer-care clinic, which opened to patients on Nov. 27, 2023. It has two additional examination rooms and care bays, as well as a clinical teaching room.
The Richmond Hospital Redevelopment project is No. 71 on ReNew Canada’s 2023 Top100 Projects report.
The Richmond Hospital cancer-care clinic is leading a transformative approach to cancer care through the innovative Remote Symptom Monitoring (RSM) system. Recognizing the emotional and physical toll of chemotherapy and the gaps in communication that can affect a patient’s well-being, the RSM will help provide timely access to clinicians and reduce reliance on emergency department visits for manageable symptoms. Enrolment to the system began in early December 2023, marking a significant step toward improving patients’ cancer care journey.
“We’re pleased to open the new cancer-care clinic and continue with the next phase of the redevelopment at Richmond Hospital. This new clinic will transform the future of cancer care in the community and help Vancouver Coastal Health deliver the highest quality care possible for patients during their treatment journey. The successful transition to the new space is a testament to the commitment and hard work by our incredibly talented staff and physicians,” said Jo-Ann Tait, vice-president, Richmond community, Vancouver Coastal Health.
Phase 2 of the updates to Richmond Hospital begins in spring 2024 with the issuing of a request for qualifications (RFQ) for the new Yurkovich Family Pavilion. Through the RFQ process, Vancouver Coastal Health will identify builders who will be invited to participate in a competitive request for proposals process. This stage will determine who will be chosen to lead design and construction.
The pavilion will house an emergency department with 86 spaces, increased from 62, and add three operating rooms for a total of 11. The nine-floor facility’s pre- and post-surgical care spaces will grow from 26 to 69. The Pavilion will also contain an intensive-care unit, a fully equipped medical imaging department with four CT scanners and two MRI machines, a pharmacy, and short-stay pediatrics.
“We know how important it is to our patients and their loved ones to have access to medical oncology treatments and followup care close to home. As part of B.C.’s Community Oncology Network, Richmond Hospital’s expanded cancer-care clinic will better serve this growing city and complement the care we provide through our BC Cancer centres and community sites throughout the province,” said Dr. Kim Nguyen Chi, executive vice-president and chief medical officer, Provincial Health Services Authority.
Phase 3 of the project includes renovations to the south tower to create new in-patient psychiatry and psychiatric assessment units so existing services will be in one location and brought up to modern standards. The south tower will also have a maternity ward and neonatal intensive-care unit. The entire project is expected to be complete in 2031.
The cost of the project is approximately $861 million and will be shared by the provincial government through Vancouver Coastal Health and Richmond Hospital Foundation.
Richmond Hospital opened in 1966 and has 240 beds that serve Richmond, South Vancouver and Delta, as well as people using Vancouver International Airport and BC Ferries facilities. The six-floor north tower is home to surgical suites, medical imaging, a pharmacy, as well as administrative, academic and support services. The hospital redevelopment project is the largest health-care investment in Richmond’s history.
Featured image: (BC Government)
