Healthcare

B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix and provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry. (Courtesy of B.C. government)

Vancouver Island sees far more surgery delays due to COVID-19 than rest of B.C.

157 surgeries postponed at Island hospitals Sept. 26 to Oct. 2; next highest health authority had 57

B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix and provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry. (Courtesy of B.C. government)
(From left to right): Assistant fire chief Chad Gartrell, visual arts teacher James Elwood, and arts students Hilary Page, Emily Frank, and Hailey Monro. (Central Okanagan School District/Contributed)

West Kelowna art students inspired by frontline workers

Mount Boucherie Secondary art students create pieces to thank frontline workers

(From left to right): Assistant fire chief Chad Gartrell, visual arts teacher James Elwood, and arts students Hilary Page, Emily Frank, and Hailey Monro. (Central Okanagan School District/Contributed)
A grand opening ceremony for Okanagan College’s new Health Sciences Centre in Kelowna was hosted on Oct. 1, one month after the building opened its doors to students at the beginning of September. (Aaron Hemens/Capital News)

Okanagan College opens new Health Sciences Centre in Kelowna

New 2,822-square-metre facility will support 591 training for in-demand health-care jobs

A grand opening ceremony for Okanagan College’s new Health Sciences Centre in Kelowna was hosted on Oct. 1, one month after the building opened its doors to students at the beginning of September. (Aaron Hemens/Capital News)
Summerland bylaw officers Darren Krell, left, and Dan Maja, right, were honoured on Friday after assisting Al Klar, at centre. On June 21, Klar had a heart attack. Krell and Maja were at his business at the time and were able to provide assistance until paramedics arrived. (Contributed)

Quick action by Summerland bylaw officers save man’s life

Officers were at business when founder had a heart attack

Summerland bylaw officers Darren Krell, left, and Dan Maja, right, were honoured on Friday after assisting Al Klar, at centre. On June 21, Klar had a heart attack. Krell and Maja were at his business at the time and were able to provide assistance until paramedics arrived. (Contributed)
A Saskatchewan Health Authority sign signifying a vaccine station at the Saskatoon Tribal Council run vaccination clinic inside SaskTel centre in Saskatoon, Sask., on Thursday, April 15, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Kayle Neis

Serious crash could push Saskatchewan health-care system to brink: health officer

Surging COVID-19 cases have stretched resources to the limit and intensive care beds are full

A Saskatchewan Health Authority sign signifying a vaccine station at the Saskatoon Tribal Council run vaccination clinic inside SaskTel centre in Saskatoon, Sask., on Thursday, April 15, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Kayle Neis
FILE – A nurse attends to a patient in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit at Surrey Memorial Hospital in Surrey, B.C., Friday, June 4, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

B.C. nurses’ union ‘cannot support’ COVID vaccine mandate that could mean fewer staff

Health minister says province is working on plans to deal with fallout

FILE – A nurse attends to a patient in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit at Surrey Memorial Hospital in Surrey, B.C., Friday, June 4, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward
Royal Inland Hospital is in downtown Kamloops, at Columbia Street and Third Avenue. (Dave Eagles/Kamloops This Week)

Patient’s death in Kamloops ER sitting area came amid marathon wait for treatment

Another ER patient claims nurse informed those waiting there was a severe staff shortage

  • Sep 9, 2021
Royal Inland Hospital is in downtown Kamloops, at Columbia Street and Third Avenue. (Dave Eagles/Kamloops This Week)
(Pixabay)

Health officials push B.C. doctors, nurse practitioners to resume in-person appointments

Many health care providers went to virtual care during the COVID-19 pandemic

(Pixabay)
Vernon Jubilee Hospital Foundation’s Kate McBrearty, executive director, and Bree Cawley, communications officer, with the white hearts put up around the hospital April 3, 2020. (Submitted Photo)
Vernon Jubilee Hospital Foundation’s Kate McBrearty, executive director, and Bree Cawley, communications officer, with the white hearts put up around the hospital April 3, 2020. (Submitted Photo)
FILE - In this Oct. 22, 2011, file photo, a doctor examines a pregnant woman at the district women’s hospital, in Allahabad, in India’s most populous state of Uttar Pradesh. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh, File)

Online tool helps break misconceptions around future pregnancies after a C-section

B.C. has Canada’s highest C-section rate at 37 per cent

FILE - In this Oct. 22, 2011, file photo, a doctor examines a pregnant woman at the district women’s hospital, in Allahabad, in India’s most populous state of Uttar Pradesh. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh, File)
Melanie Rivers, whose ancestral name is Tiyaltelwet, is the Squamish Nation artist behind the report’s cover art, poem and dedication. (Katya Slepian/Black Press Media)

Ancestral roots: Indigenous women, girls’ health report highlights hurdles, traditions

Artist Melanie Rivers describes the inspiration between report’s cover art, poem

Melanie Rivers, whose ancestral name is Tiyaltelwet, is the Squamish Nation artist behind the report’s cover art, poem and dedication. (Katya Slepian/Black Press Media)
Dr. Helmcken Memorial Hospital. (File photo)

Rural B.C. emergency room to close overnight for days as staffing shortages plague hospital

Ambulances will take patients to Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops

Dr. Helmcken Memorial Hospital. (File photo)
Healthcare workers from Women’s College Hospital prepare doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine at a pop-up vaccine clinic in Toronto’s Jane and Finch neighbourhood, in the M3N postal code, on Saturday, April 17, 2021.
Healthcare workers from Women’s College Hospital prepare doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine at a pop-up vaccine clinic in Toronto’s Jane and Finch neighbourhood, in the M3N postal code, on Saturday, April 17, 2021.
The Summerland After Hours Clinic in the Rosedale Medical building will close effective Sept. 1. (John Arendt - Summerland Review)

Summerland After Hours Clinic to close

Ongoing staffing challenges resulted in decision to discontinue service

The Summerland After Hours Clinic in the Rosedale Medical building will close effective Sept. 1. (John Arendt - Summerland Review)
From Feb. 24, 2020 until July 15, 2021, an administrator was appointed to manage operations at Summerland Seniors Village. (John Arendt - Summerland Review)

Interior Health hands back control of Summerland Seniors Village

The government’s temporary administrator had their term extended twice over a year

From Feb. 24, 2020 until July 15, 2021, an administrator was appointed to manage operations at Summerland Seniors Village. (John Arendt - Summerland Review)
Susan Brown, president and CEO of Interior Health. (Interior Health photo)

2 Interior Health employees withdraw from Aboriginal health positions over criticism

The employees were not Indigenous, and the positions weren’t made publicly available

Susan Brown, president and CEO of Interior Health. (Interior Health photo)
Passes to the Lumby Disc Golf Course are among the more than $1,700 in items up for bid in the first Lumby Health Centre Online Auction, raising funds for programs and equipment. (Facebook photo)

Lumby Health Centre taking bids for auction fundraiser

Online event runs June 30 to July 22 raising money for programs and equipment

Passes to the Lumby Disc Golf Course are among the more than $1,700 in items up for bid in the first Lumby Health Centre Online Auction, raising funds for programs and equipment. (Facebook photo)
Bryan Slater has been using the DexcomG6 for around three years. The device helps him monitor his diabetes. British Columbia has now expanded BC PharmaCare coverage for this technology. (Contributed)

New diabetes technology coverage saves Summerland man more than $5,000 a year

British Columbia is the first province to reimburse people with diabetes using monitoring system

Bryan Slater has been using the DexcomG6 for around three years. The device helps him monitor his diabetes. British Columbia has now expanded BC PharmaCare coverage for this technology. (Contributed)
B.C. ambulance station in Revelstoke is expected to get a new system called the Scheduled On-Call (SOC) this fall. (Liam Harrap - Revelstoke Review)

B.C. ambulance changes could put Revelstoke residents at risk, warn local paramedics

Paramedics said to expect a substantial increase in ambulance response time starting this fall

B.C. ambulance station in Revelstoke is expected to get a new system called the Scheduled On-Call (SOC) this fall. (Liam Harrap - Revelstoke Review)
The Dexcom G6  (Dexcom)  continuous glucose monitor will now be covered through BC Pharmacare.

B.C. government announces medical device coverage for people with diabetes

‘This is an amazing life- and sanity-saving device.’

The Dexcom G6  (Dexcom)  continuous glucose monitor will now be covered through BC Pharmacare.
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