Completed &
Current Projects

In Progress

This past spring, the Nanaimo & District Hospital Foundation embarked on its most ambitious campaign to date: to raise $5 million for all the critical care, state of the art medical equipment required for Nanaimo Regional General Hospital’s (NRGH) new Intensive Care Unit (ICU), which broke ground on February 2, 2021.

NRGH’s current ICU is amongst the oldest in BC, serving more than 450,000 residents north of the Malahat. In spite of that, NRGH’s ICU ranks near the top nationally for positive patient health outcomes. A new ICU for NRGH is critically needed.

The new ICU will allow NRGH to continue providing exceptional care to the most critically ill in our Central and North Island communities and will open the door for future and essential health care services, such as a cardiac catheter lab, a cancer clinic for radiation therapy, and a new patient care tower.

Completed

The Hospital Foundation has raised $1.8 million in support of expanded cardiac care and services at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital (NRGH) and Oceanside Health Centre (OHC) in Parksville. Over the last four years, the number of cardiac ultrasound exams has increased annually by 25% and this growth is expected to exceed 10,000. The funds raised by the Hospital Foundation will be used to purchase the latest medical equipment and to fund infrastructure upgrades at both NRGH and OHC, providing the cardiology department with the space they require to meet this growing demand. Once the expansion is complete, 95% of pre and post-surgical and procedural cardiac care will be able to be delivered in our community. There will also be an increase of an estimated 3,000 exams per year, and reduction in wait times by as much as 50%.

Completed

There are over 3,500 patients waiting up to 12 months for a colonoscopy or other endoscopic procedure at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital (NRGH). Colonoscopies are used to diagnose serious illnesses including colon cancer. The only way to reduce wait times for this vital procedure is by building a new surgical suite and the Hospital Foundation is raising $1.75 million for this vital project. In addition to the suite and needed medical equipment, the funds will also support improvements to other areas of the department. With the new surgical suite, colonoscopy wait times will be significantly reduced. Increasing access to colonoscopies and providing care closer to home are key BC Government priorities. To accomplish increased access, the Nanaimo & District Hospital Foundation is partnering with Island Health, the Nanaimo Regional Hospital District and the Government of British Columbia.

New CT Scanner – Installation completed July 2016

The new CT Scan increases the speed of imaging, improves the clarity of images, and decreases exposure to radiation.  The CT Scanner uses a motorized x-ray source that rotates around the circular opening of a donut-shaped structure called a gantry. During a CT scan, the patient lies on a bed that slowly moves through the gantry while the x-ray tube rotates around the patient, shooting narrow beams of x-rays through the body. Instead of film, CT scanners use special digital x-ray detectors, which and transmitted to a computer. You helped to make this happen.  Thank you!

Two New Operating Rooms – Opened February 2015

This brings the total number of Surgical Theatres at NRGH from eight to ten. The impact was immediate. Before expanding, surgical teams often worked through the night to accommodate urgent and emergency cases, but since adding the new Rooms working past 11:00 pm has greatly diminished. Furthermore, there has been few to no pre-scheduled cancellations and patients are getting out of surgery earlier in the day to either return home sooner or settle into their hospital room quicker.  You helped to make this happen.  Thank you!

New Emergency Department – Opened October 2012

At almost three times the size of the “old” Emergency room, there is not only an increase of space, but also more natural light.  Patients and families have privacy thanks to walled patient rooms and dignity thanks to a separate Psychiatric Unit. The medical professionals taking care of us all, continue to be an exemplary team determined to deliver the best care possible.  Thank You!