“Each new construction milestone brings us closer to the opening of Canada’s most environmentally efficient acute care hospital,” said Falcon. “When complete, the Patient Care Centre will deliver the highest standards in infection control design and practices so that healing patients get the best care possible.”
More than 80 per cent of the rooms will be single-bed patient rooms with private bathrooms, allowing for family visits and stays, and reducing hospital acquired infection rates. The spacious rooms will be easily adaptable to different levels of care, decreasing the need to move patients and resulting in fewer infections and falls. Background noise will be reduced using sound-absorbing flooring, ceiling and walls, and wider hallways with effective wayfinding will help patients with cognitive impairment.
The new Patient Care Centre will be the first ‘Pacific Green’ hospital in Canada. A Pacific Green building supports environmental sustainability through its efficient use of energy, its focus on water conservation and in the selection of its building materials. It also addresses the overall health outcomes of patients and health care providers through the increased use of green space, access to natural light, natural ventilation and the provision of alternative transportation opportunities.
The Royal Jubilee Hospital (RJH) is VIHA’s busiest hospital. The $12.1-million energy centre provides power, medical gases, water and other utilities for the campus’s 23 existing facilities, as well as the new Patient Care Centre.
Two new power generators replace four pre-existing ones to power all existing facilities at RJH, the new Patient Care Centre and future growth. The two new generators can generate 50 per cent more power using the same amount of fuel, produce fewer emissions and are 30 per cent quieter. Combined, the new generators could power around 840 houses and can handle emergency power needs in the event of a power outage or natural disaster, ensuring the safety of staff and patients.
“We are building better patient care for residents and visitors to southern Vancouver Island with the construction of the Patient Care Centre at Royal Jubilee and the newly opened emergency department at Victoria General Hospital,” said Oak Bay-Gordon Head MLA Ida Chong. “The new hospital is a visible demonstration of our commitment to providing patients with the best health care possible.”
“The new power system enables us to continue providing excellent health care, even in the most extreme situations,” said Jac Kreut, board chair of VIHA. “The generators provide safe, reliable, efficient and long-lasting power and were the logical choice in keeping with the overall green project design.”
“It was a challenge to co-ordinate a new energy centre without shutting down existing facilities at RJH,” said Rudi van den Broek, chief project officer for VIHA. “The fact that we managed to complete this piece of the project ahead of schedule and under budget is a testament to the work of everyone involved.”
The Patient Care Centre is a public-private partnership between VIHA and ISL Health. ISL is responsible for the design, building, financing and maintenance of the state-of-the-art facility. VIHA will retain ownership of the facility and provide all health and medical services.
The new 412,000-square-feet (38,000-square-metres) facility is on schedule for completion in December 2010, with occupancy expected in February 2011.
Over the next three years, British Columbia’s health care system will benefit from investments such as the Patient Care Centre as part of a $2.6-billion health sector capital plan.
For more info on the project, visit: www.viha.ca/patient_care_centre/
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Media Contact:
Shannon Marshall
VIHA Communications
250-370-8270