A new pharmacy at Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital in Trail is now in use, which Interior Health says boasts operating efficiencies, better working conditions and modern technology.
Michael Conci, the pharmacy professional practice leader, says they began using the space late last week and had the grand opening on Monday. It represents the completion of the first phase, which is about 60 per cent of the overall space.
“The major enhancement was the completion of a state-of-the-art sterile products compounding suite and the addition of the facilities that go along with that,” he says. “The suite is something most pharmacies that were manufacturing sterile products in BC had to update to meet new national standards. We needed to update ours.”
Conci says they compound both hazardous and non-hazardous medications, mostly for in-patients but also for some chemotherapy/oncology patients.
He says the hospital’s pharmacy team now has the functional space and technology to do their work. They have created specialized areas in the pharmacy where staff can concentrate on specific tasks.
In the old space, those tasks were all completed within the same area without specific rooms or designated spaces.
“Now we’ve got these spaces or pods where specific tasks can take place, where the staff have the tools they need. Everything’s tidy and organized and they can complete the work without distraction.
“Being able to work in an area that is organized with all the tools you need helps to improve their efficiency and job satisfaction. More importantly, it minimizes the risk of medication errors for patients.”
Work has now begun on the second phase, which we built in the old area. It’s expected to be completed next spring, and then the two spaces will be combined, tripling the size of the old pharmacy.
For the moment, Conci says they have to use some temporary spaces, but once the pharmacy expands to fill the entire footprint, they will be able to have isolated spaces for their work.
Even the completion of the first phase is a big step forwards, he says.
“The former space was very small. It’s been over 40 years our team has persevered in that space. We’ve been requiring more space for quite a long time. We’ve outgrown it. Being able to be in that [new] space, the staff are super happy. It’s big and bright and new and shiny. The overall morale is quite enhanced.”
Conci says the number of staff and their volume of work has more than doubled over the years, due to enhancements in pharmaceutical care standards.
He adds one of the other major enhancements is an automated dispensing cabinet for controlled substances. Whereas previously they were kept in a safe and everything was done manually, the new cabinet is computerized, allowing medication to be tracked and recorded. Record keeping is “quite intense,” he says, and having digital records and reports allows them to increase their efficiency.
The enhanced pharmacy is part of a $38.8-million investment that also includes an expanded ambulatory care procedure unit. Renovations have also been made to the oncology, rehabilitation, cast clinic and health information management departments.
The renovated and expanded oncology department will open on July 19, with exam, treatment and consultation rooms, and a new waiting room.
The updated and modernized physiotherapy department will open on Aug. 15, providing enhanced working conditions and patient treatment areas. The other vacated spaces will also see second phase work that will be completed in the spring.
Of the price tag, the province is picking up $23.3 million and the regional hospital district $15.5 million. The hospital foundation has also committed to raising a further $250,000.
The exterior of the new ambulatory care unit was built above the new emergency department and a bridge was built to connect the new unit to the existing hospital. It’s used for outpatient procedures such as endoscopies, cystoscopies and other minor procedures.