Work on creating a long term vision for cancer care services at Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops appears to be coming down the pipe this year.
Its part of Interior Health’s 2023/24 funding request to the Thompson Regional Hospital District (TRHD) for construction projects valued over $100,000.
The total budget for the Cancer Services business plan, comes at a price tag of $700,000, with IH saying the TRHD’s share would be $280,000.
IH’s Director of Business Operations, Dianne Kostachuk says they brought forward their major capital projects funding request earlier than normal this year.
“In previous years, we would have had this discussion in March, and the expectations would have been by law would have been drawn up at that meeting,” she explained.
“So this is preliminary, in the sense that this is the final request as far as the over $100,000 goes, but it’s the opportunity to have further discussion and contemplation about it.”
Kostachuk says they will be developing a “business plan” to expand cancer care services at Royal Inland.
“Also looking at based on projected need, data, etcetera, and looking at what the long term vision for a suite of cancer services at Royal Inland, and this would be diagnostic for treatment.”
Board member Dale Bass asked if oncological services would be included in that plan; Kostachuk says it will include full cancer services in RIH.
“The plan is to be built around a full suite of services that would include radiology if that is what works, so it’s from diagnostic to full treatment.”
When asked for a timeline for when work would begin, Kostachuk explained the business plan has to be developed first.
“It needs to go through all the processes and due diligence to the government. I don’t think I would be able to speak to the timeline, although I can see if I can check back and see if there have been any higher level discussions.”
There is also a consideration for additional parking at RIH within that plan.