Phase 2 rendering of Burnaby Hospital Redevelopment Project © Courtesy of Burnaby Hospital Foundation
Burnaby born and raised Dr. Wesley Jang serves as the Department Head of Burnaby Hospital’s busy Intensive Care Unit (ICU). He heads down a narrow corridor to a crowded equipment storage room to retrieve a piece of life-saving equipment—a corridor only wide enough for one person to pass through at a time.
“Crowded workspaces are only one of the obstacles that we encounter daily,” said Dr. Jang. “Our staff do an exceptional job navigating the many challenges that we face. Outdated equipment and shared patient rooms are some of the other issues that will be addressed in Phase Two of Burnaby Hospital’s redevelopment.”
“My staff and I are excited to see increased services and programs not only in our department, but throughout the hospital,” he shared, alluding to the many upcoming changes that will improve his team’s ability to deliver critical care.
Phase Two of the redevelopment, announced in September, brings upgrades to the Intensive Care Unit and Medical Imaging departments, as well as other important additions that include new in-patient oncology and cardiac telemetry units, 160 private rooms, and the first cancer centre in the region.
Some new programs include the addition of Continuous Renal Treatment Therapy (CRRT) to the ICU, which enables staff to provide dialysis treatments for patients experiencing kidney failure. Instead of transporting critically-ill patients multiple times per week for hours-long treatments at another hospital, patients will receive dialysis treatment from medical staff right here at Burnaby Hospital.
Even with the global pandemic, increasing demand for services, and ongoing construction, Burnaby Hospital continues to be a vital pillar of a thriving and expanding community. The aging hospital cares for over 200,000 patients each year from a region that reaches from East Vancouver to the eastern edge of Burnaby and beyond, all in a building designed over 70 years ago to serve a population just a fraction of its current size.
“Donations are crucial at this time,” shared Kristy James, President and CEO of Burnaby Hospital Foundation. “With the addition of a new 12-storey acute care tower on our campus, the list of necessary equipment is quite extensive. Generous contributions from our community make it possible to purchase the state-of-the-art equipment that our staff need to continue providing exceptional medical care.”
“Our fundraising focuses around increased medical services coming to Burnaby Hospital, keeping people close to home, to their families and to their support systems, all while receiving care,” said James.
“I urge the community to consider donating towards their hospital and towards a project that benefits us all now, and in the future,” said James. “This transformational project is one that we aren’t likely to see again in our lifetimes.”
With construction now peeking over the treetops, Burnaby Hospital will soon be joining the ranks of the largest healthcare facilities in the region. The Foundation and all the staff at Burnaby Hospital look towards a bright future where patients will be able to receive a greater continuum of care within their own community.
Learn more and donate at bhfoundation.ca
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Burnaby Hospital Foundation still needs your help to transform a beloved community hospital into a state-of-the-art facility that will meet the growing health care needs of Burnaby and East Vancouver for generations to come.
