Another hit to rural healthcare is coming, with Fruitvale’s Beaver Valley Clinic to close its lab services on February 28.
After more than four decades in operation, new regulatory requirements introduced by the Diagnostic Accreditation Program (DAP) have made the service unsustainable.
In a statement from Interior Health, they say lab collection sites in B.C. must be in compliance with provincial standards set by the College of Physicians and Surgeons, these include implementing detailed policies, maintaining extensive documentation, and adhering to rigorous oversight processes.
“While these standards are not set by Interior Health and it was not an Interior Health decision to end the service in Beaver Valley, we appreciate that this change will impact local residents and this clinic.”
The closure is expected to hit local residents hard, particularly those most vulnerable in our community, who will now be forced to travel for lab services.
Interior Health says patients can visit neighbouring labs:
- Trail Health Centre: open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Salmo Health Centre: open Tuesday to Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- LifeLabs Patient Care Centre at the Waneta Plaza Mall: open weekdays from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m
Digital self-booking is available for all three locations.
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