Thanks to the incredible generosity of residents across the East Kootenay and the dedication of the region’s health care volunteers, the $1 million goal for critical care equipment for East Kootenay Regional Hospital’s new Intensive Care Unit (ICU) has been achieved.

Outstanding contributions came from the Cranbrook Health Care Auxiliary ($450,000), the Kimberley Health Care Auxiliary ($90,000), the Invermere Health Care Auxiliary ($50,000), with remaining funds coming through public donations and stewarded by East Kootenay Foundation for Health.

“The success of this campaign highlights the overwhelming generosity of health care donors and the remarkable collaboration of our health care auxiliaries and the foundation,” said Erica Phillips, Interior Health’s Acute Health Services Administrator for East Kootenay.

Interior Health is entering the final phase of construction of the new intensive care unit and major electrical upgrades to EKRH.

This new addition to the hospital replaces the current four-bed unit and also includes two new, high-acuity beds. These additional two beds will help relieve pressure on the ICU and preserve resources for the most-critically-ill patients while providing a high level of care for those in need, allowing more patients from the East Kootenay to stay closer to home more often.

The $1 million donor-driven community fundraising campaign to purchase the critically needed intensive care equipment is part of the broader $20 million ICU/Electrical Redevelopment Project at EKRH. The government of B.C. is funding approximately $12 million and the Kootenay East Regional Hospital District is providing approximately $8 million.

With all the essential funding in place equipment is being ordered and installations commencing with a timeline to coincide with the ICU commissioning scheduled for the spring of 2016.

EKFH

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