The Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital and Health Foundation’s (KBRH Health Foundation) $1 million fundraising campaign for the new Emergency Department has received a significant boost thanks to the support of Teck Trail Operations (Teck).
Caring for over 16,000 patients annually, the Emergency Department at Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital (KBRH) will triple in size and incorporate an innovative approach to improving health outcomes through the installation of anti-microbial copper surfaces.
In addition to addressing current space and service challenges, the expansion will include a trauma room with two treatment bays, six urgent care treatment bays, six streaming examination rooms, an airborne isolation room, a women’s health procedural examination room, mental health consultation and examination rooms, and a minor procedure eye, ear, nose, and throat treatment room.
Teck’s $290,000 support will be dedicated to the trauma room and the inclusion of antimicrobial copper surfaces. Antimicrobial copper is an innovative solution to reducing healthcare-acquired infections, as it continuously eliminates 99.9 percent of harmful bacteria found on commonly-touched surfaces.
“On behalf of the KBRH Health Foundation, I would like to express how grateful we are to have a partner like Teck for this very exciting campaign,” said Bill Clark, Foundation Board Chair.
“This substantial donation for the trauma room will significantly increase our ability to meet our fundraising goal for the Emergency Department Campaign. Teck is a longstanding partner of the Foundation and supporter of healthcare improvements for our community. It is truly inspiring when donors step up to help make the changes we need in support of KBRH, our regional hospital.”
“Teck is pleased to continue our tradition of significant support for initiatives at KBRH that improve healthcare for our employees and the residents of the Kootenay Boundary region,” said Thompson Hickey, General Manager, Teck Trail Operations. “We are excited the new Emergency Department will incorporate copper surfaces to help keep patients, staff and visitors healthy.”
Coinciding with construction of the new $19.05 million Emergency Department at KBRH, the KBRH Health Foundation has committed to raising $1 million to purchase state of the art medical equipment to support patient care.
The project’s financial partners include the Province of BC through Interior Health, the West Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital District and the KBRH Health Foundation. Ground breaking has occurred, with completion in 2020.