Interior Health (IH) and the seven Interior regional hospital districts (RHDs), including the Kootenay East Regional Hospital District (KERHD), have signed a new memorandum of understanding (MOU) aiming to strengthen existing partnerships dedicated to improving care for people in the Interior.

As part of the capital planning process, IH submits a funding request letter to the RHDs each December outlining the equipment, capital improvement projects and digital health investments for each region. The memorandum of understanding strengthens information sharing, transparency and collaboration between Interior Health and the regional hospital districts and outlines additional expectations regarding updates on funded and proposed capital projects.

Interior Health has committed to share annual capital plans and forecasts for future priority investments, as well as provide detailed information for major projects over $5 million.

The memorandum of understanding will be reviewed every two years by IH and the RHDs.

IH is responsible for health-care services and develops an annual capital plan outlining the capital investment needs. As per the Hospital District Act, regional hospital districts provide funding to Interior Health for capital costs associated with the construction, acquisition and maintenance of health-care facilities and major equipment in the local area as identified in the annual capital plan. Regional hospital districts may fund up to 40% of the investment.

“Our regional hospital districts are key partners when it comes to capital projects in our regions. Their financial support to build, renovate and update our health-care facilities is integral to improve patient care and this agreement provides better clarity about the Interior Health planning and funding process,” said Susan Brown, IH President and Chief Executive Officer.

“We value the feedback and information provided by the local representatives and this agreement lays out clear expectations regarding sharing information on the projects we are planning and have underway,” stated Susan Brown, IH President and Chief Executive Officer.

The seven Regional Hospital District board chairs, including KERHD Board Chair David Wilks (District of Sparwood Mayor), jointly stated: “The seven Regional Hospital Districts of the interior, working together with Interior Health, have come to an agreement on a framework which will guide the budgeting process for annual capital planning and subsequent investment in health-care facilities throughout our region. This agreement is exciting news and addresses a number of concerns which were the focus of negotiations over the past few months. We are confident this memorandum of understanding is a positive step forward in terms of accountability and will serve to create a better working relationship between Interior Health and the Regional Hospital Districts.”

The seven regional hospital districts in IH include: Kootenay East Regional Hospital District, Cariboo Chilcotin Regional Hospital District, Thompson Regional Hospital District, North Okanagan Shuswap Regional Hospital District, Central Okanagan Regional Hospital District, Okanagan Similkameen Regional Hospital District, and West Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital District.

The RHD chairs are:

Al Richmond, Chair, Cariboo Chilcotin Regional Hospital District;

Mike O’Reilly, Chair, Thompson Regional Hospital District;

Kevin Acton, Chair, North Okanagan Columbia Shuswap Regional Hospital District;

Loyal Wooldridge, Chair, Central Okanagan Regional Hospital District;

Rhona Martin, Chair, Okanagan Similkameen Regional Hospital District;

Frank Marino, Chair, West Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital District;

David Wilks, Chair Kootenay East Regional Hospital District.

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