March 22, 1983 was a special day for the West Shore.
Not only was it the day the Victoria General Hospital opened its doors, but it was also the day the Victoria General Hospital Auxiliary formed. This month, the two organizations will be celebrating their 35th anniversary.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e super excited to be celebrating and happy that weB次元官网网址檙e still here and providing a better level of health care than we were 35 years ago,B次元官网网址� said Sharon Parkes, interim site director with the hospital. B次元官网网址淥ur community has grown immensely with the West Shore growing B次元官网网址� ItB次元官网网址檚 a busy place.B次元官网网址�
Originally opened in 1983 in View Royal, the hospital has since transformed into one of the busiest on Vancouver Island, serving nearly 100,000 patients last year. It continues to specialize in pediatrics and neuroscience B次元官网网址� areas the hospital has specialized in since the beginning.
It is also the trauma centre for Vancouver Island, where patients who have major accidents anywhere in the region are transferred by helicopter or ambulance for vital care.
The hospitalB次元官网网址檚 emergency room, which includes state-of-the-art isolation rooms and a decontamination area specifically designed for managing pandemics and severe outbreaks, sees more than 200 patients per day, on some days, Parkes said.
The hospital also offers a number of outpatient programs and clinics. More recently in 2016, the hospital began offering a endovascular thrombectomy program, which allows for the early diagnosis and treatment of strokes.
Advances in technology have changed the way the hospital operates as well.
B次元官网网址淲e do a lot more day care surgeries now than weB次元官网网址檝e ever done. So patients who may have had to come and stay in hospital overnight now they come in and have their surgery one day and they go home the same day just because of advances in technology,B次元官网网址� said Parkes, noting the hospital also treats a much older population now as the baby boomer generation grows older.
B次元官网网址淚 would say the same for medicine. WeB次元官网网址檙e seeing a lot more sicker, more acutely ill patients than weB次元官网网址檝e ever seen.B次元官网网址�
The hospital is currently completing its strategic plan to continue delivering the best medical care to the growing West Shore population.
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Another big part of Victoria General is its auxiliary, which has been raising funds for the hospital for the past 35 years. In addition to monthly book sales and sales in the hospitalB次元官网网址檚 concourse, the auxiliary runs the gift shop.
The auxiliary, and its roughly 100 volunteers including some members (Kay McQueen, Joyce Calland, Judy Gordon and Anne Elm) who have been there since the beginning, donates more than $200,00 annually to the hospital to purchase medical equipment and other amenities. Most recently, it raised more than $6,000 from its annual Poinsettias for Patients program to allow the Victoria Hospitals Foundation to purchase a new biliblanket for the neo-natal unit.
Val Smith, president of the auxiliary, said one of its greatest achievement over the last 35 years was the Oasis@3North: A project of the auxiliary, which was completed in 2016.
The more than 1,000 square-foot outdoor space on the third floor was transformed to include trees, shrugs and benches for patients, visitors and staff to relax.
B次元官网网址淒uring the daylight hours itB次元官网网址檚 open to everyone,B次元官网网址� said Smith, who has been involved with the auxiliary for the past decade.
B次元官网网址淔amilies come. Granny will bring a bunch of food to one of the tables and the patient will come out and theyB次元官网网址檒l have a family picnic, or the staff just go out there to eat and have a momentB次元官网网址檚 peace B次元官网网址� Everyone in the auxiliary is quite pleased that we did it.B次元官网网址�
As part of the hospitalB次元官网网址檚 anniversary, it will be hosting a staff appreciation barbecue to celebrate in June.
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