New Jim Pattison Acute Care Tower at Royal Columbian Hospital Set to Open

📅 6 days ago

The Jim Pattison Acute Care Tower at Royal Columbian Hospital will open on May 31, featuring expanded healthcare services and modern facilities.

In New Westminster, British Columbia, the Jim Pattison Acute Care Tower at Royal Columbian Hospital is on track to welcome its first patients on May 31. This new facility will stand out as the only hospital in the province offering a comprehensive range of services including trauma, cardiac care, neurosurgery, high-risk obstetrics, neonatal intensive care, and acute mental health care all under one roof. The 10-storey tower will provide a total of 388 beds, significantly enhancing the hospital's capacity to deliver critical healthcare services.
The tower is designed with a focus on modern healthcare needs, featuring a larger emergency department equipped with 75 treatment spaces alongside a satellite medical imaging unit. Additionally, the facility will include a 47-bed intensive care unit that incorporates a dedicated smudging room, a unique feature aimed at supporting cultural practices. The cardiac intensive care unit will accommodate 17 beds, while medical inpatient beds will span five floors, ensuring comprehensive care across various medical disciplines.
One of the notable aspects of the new tower is its 48-bed obstetrics unit, which will be co-located with a neonatal intensive care unit, including two obstetrical operating rooms. In total, the tower will house 17 new operating rooms along with interventional radiology and cardiac suites, creating an interventional "super floor" that connects seamlessly with the existing health care center.
The opening of the tower will occur in two stages. The first phase on May 31 will see the launch of the emergency department, medical-surgical inpatient units, intensive care unit, cardiac intensive care unit, satellite medical imaging, main entrance, and parking facilities. The second phase, scheduled for this fall, will introduce the obstetrics unit, pediatrics unit, neonatal intensive care unit, operating rooms, interventional radiology and cardiology suites, as well as a cardiac surgery intensive care unit.
This initiative marks the second phase of the extensive Royal Columbian Hospital redevelopment project, which began with phase one in 2020. That phase included the establishment of a new mental health and substance use wellness center, a new energy center, and an expanded parkade. The total cost for phases two and three of the redevelopment is projected to reach nearly $2 billion, with funding contributions from the provincial government, Fraser Health, and the Royal Columbian Hospital Foundation.
The tower is named in honor of Jim Pattison, a prominent business figure and philanthropist who generously donated $30 million towards the project. Looking ahead, phase three of the redevelopment will involve enhancements to the existing health care center and Columbia Tower to accommodate the additional beds and services introduced in phase two, with completion expected by 2029.

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