With the Patient Care Tower operational for the past two months, Interior Health is turning its attention to Phase 2 of the Royal Inland Hospital modernization project.

Gerry Desilets, the Interim Executive Director at Royal Inland Hospital, tells NL News this phase will include extensive renovations to the emergency department as well as to the post-anaesthetic recovery department, the pediatric unit, and the morgue.

“The emergency department, yes that is the biggest piece because that is the part where the public come in,” Desilets said.

“The largest changes for that is the new permanent emergency entrance at RIH is located at the roundabout that is near the old coffee shop. There is no longer any emergency parking near the ambulance bay.”

Desilets also says people coming to RIH should watch for signs directing them around the hospital and where to park while this work is underway.

“Short term public parking for the emergency department is now located in two places – one on the right side of the drive leading to the roundabout and on level P2 of the staff parkade where there will be signage in place to designate emergency overflow parking.”

The renovated emergency room is set to open to the public sometime in 2024, with Desilets noting the goal is to build a “beautiful, modernized hospital” in Kamloops.

“We work to make sure that they are working as quickly as possible also trying to maintain our other patients comfort levels in understanding that construction can be noisy and disrupting to people,” Desilets said.

“So we are trying to manage the needs of our current patients while also expanding the site for the future renovations.”

Work on the entire Phase 2 of the modernization project has an expected completion date sometime in 2026.

“So there will be some service disruptions as renovations proceed and we are working within the site to make sure that flow is happening,” Desilets noted.

“You know anytime things are happening, there are some bumps and things to work through but we hope we’ll have pretty seamless care for our patients that come in. If there were any major service disruptions, we would share that information out.”

Hey #Kamloops! Exciting changes continue to take place at Royal Inland Hospital with Phase 2 of the hospital modernization project beginning today.

Watch for signage that will direct visitors and patients on how to access those areas while work is underway.

— Interior Health (@Interior_Health) September 26, 2022