Eighteen inpatient beds are now open at Selkirk Regional Health Centre’s new inpatient unit with 12 more beds to open by November. Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority (IERHA) staff, community members and construction partners joined to celebrate the formal opening of the 30 bed inpatient expansion on September 13.

“After years of cuts, our government understood adding beds and staff to the health care system was the first priority. ​These beds will free up space in Selkirk’s wards and reduce access blocks in the emergency department, which will in turn reduce wait times for families,” said Minister of Health, Seniors and Long Term Care Uzoma Asagwara. “Funding a bed is only part of the solution, we have to staff it as well. I want to thank the front line workers and IERHA staff who helped us open this new unit and welcome the patients.” 

IERHA CEO Marion Ellis acknowledged the people who worked to bring this project to fruition.

“Completed ahead of schedule, this inpatient expansion project is a credit to everyone involved from planning through to completion,” said Ellis. “Expansion of Selkirk Regional Health Centre will help us better meet the needs of residents across the health region and health system.”

Ellis acknowledged Interlake Eastern Health Foundation and Selkirk gift shop volunteers for their ongoing contributions to supporting patient care.

“It’s our collective privilege to be in a position to offer care to people when it’s needed. We remain grateful for the community support that we receive,” Ellis said.

In addition to the 28,627 square foot inpatient expansion, the project also included enlargement of the health centre’s emergency department waiting room.

BACKGROUND

Selkirk Regional Health Centre Inpatient Unit Addition

The new 30 bed inpatient unit and emergency department expansion are improving Interlake-Eastern RHA’s ability to care for patients across the region and health system.

Inpatient Addition

• 28,627 sq. ft. single storey addition
• Two new wings (medicine 3 and 4) comprising 30 new inpatient rooms in total
  • private rooms with washrooms
  • two bariatric isolation rooms
  • therapy tub room
  • central care stations with satellite workstations for staff
  • increased support services and physician space
• Medicine 3 opened September 3
• Medicine 4 scheduled to open in November

Emergency department waiting room expansion

• Two new treatment rooms and one new treatment station have been created
• Waiting room has been expanded