Work is underway on a new inpatient unit at the University Hospital of Northern BC (UHNBC) that will focus on keeping patients strong, mobile and active during their hospital stay, reflecting the provincial government’s focus on team-based primary care.
IDL Projects has been awarded the contract for construction to develop UHNBC’s second floor to add inpatient rooms, as well as exercise/rehab, dining, and common/lounge areas for a new 24-bed unit.
“Government is working with our partners to bring together health-care professionals to create a team-based approach to better meet the needs of people,” said Adrian Dix, Minister of Health. “The new inpatient unit at UHNBC is supported by this strategy, helping patients get back home sooner after their hospital stay, cared for by physicians at the hospital.”
The unit will follow a rehabilitative care approach that supports patients and families to maintain physical strength, mobility and ability to perform activities of daily living while receiving care in hospital. This includes eating, dressing, bathing, toileting, and movement, which are all important functions to support a patient’s discharge home, and continued independence.
This approach is part of a larger plan for a sustainable approach to inpatient primary care in Prince George, in which family physicians continue to provide in-hospital care to patients.
The new unit will also add much-needed bed capacity at UHNBC. Construction on the $8 million project begins this week, and the unit is expected to open in early 2019.
Project funding is from:
- Ministry of Health - $4.8 million
- Fraser Fort George Regional Hospital District - $3.2 million
“There are exciting changes taking place in primary care in communities and health care facilities in our region and around the province,” said Murry Krause, Chair of the Fraser-Fort George Regional Hospital District. “The RHD is pleased to support this project to not only improve primary care in the hospital setting, but to add capacity at the University Hospital of Northern BC.”
Northern Health and IDL Projects are working to ensure the least amount of disruption to hospital operations, and ask that visitors and patients pay close attention to and obey construction signage.