Surgical tools focus of new RIH department
Royal Inland Hospital has a new $10.75-million medical device reprocessing department (MDR) which includes a major renovation and state-of-the-art equipment.
The department comes two years after contaminated operating tools at the hospital led to surgery delays and an RCMP investigation that did not result in charges.
The Thompson Regional Hospital District funded 40 per cent of the total project cost, with the remaining capital expense coming from the province.
The medical device reprocessing area is responsible for the cleaning and sterilization of medical equipment and surgical tools.
In 2010, the Interior Health Authority hired an external consultant to conduct a review of the unit following discovery of the contaminated surgical tools.
The ensuing report made several recommendations, the most significant being unit redesign and renovation and the purchase of new equipment.
This major project was approached in phases to allow surgical procedures to continue uninterrupted at the hospital.
The first phase, which consisted of the redesign and expansion of the MDR unit and installation of new sterilization equipment, is now finished.
With the new area complete, a new dedicated elevator is being installed for delivery of surgical tools between operating rooms and the unit.
Renovations to the supply room and implementation of a new case cart delivery system will also be done.
This second phase will be complete by early 2013.
“The MDR redevelopment provides our technicians the tools and space they need to do the best job possible,” said IHA board chairman Norman Embree.
“Improving the MDR is about ensuring safe, quality care for our patients and providing the best environment possible for our staff,”
More than 11,000 surgical tools and pieces of medical equipment are cleaned, sterilized, packaged and delivered each month.
The department supports RIH and health centres in Merritt and Chase.
“We are very pleased to be celebrating the completion of this redevelopment, especially as it supports not only RIH, but the whole region,” said Peter Milobar, Thompson Regional Hospital District chairman and Kamloops mayor.
“RIH is an important referral centre and, of course, there are neighbouring community hospitals which rely on the sterilization and cleaning services of this department as well,”
Design services were completed by Kasian Architecture Interior Design and Planning Ltd., while construction management has been provided by Delnor Construction Ltd.
COMMENTS
Let's keep comments:
We ask that all participants own their words by logging in with their Facebook account. It's a simple process that will take seconds and helps keep our comments free of trolls, cranks, and “drive-by” commenters.
We reserve the right to remove comments from anyone using screen names, pseudonyms or false identities. Please see our FAQ if you have questions or concerns about using Facebook to comment.