120 complex care beds proposed for Comox Valley
The Vancouver Island Health Authority (Island Health) has reissued a Request for Proposals to add 120 new beds for patients requiring a complex level of care in the Comox Valley. Island Health says it hopes to award contracts for the new beds in early May and expects they will open for patients sometime in 2020.
Wells, Frisch and Eriksson will battle for Courtenay mayor
Courtenay City Council member David Frisch announced this week that he is running for mayor. Frisch is the second sitting councillor to enter the mayoral race, just 225 days away. Erik Eriksson launched his campaign for mayor several months ago.
Island Health board to meet in Courtenay on March 29
The Vancouver Island Health Authority (VIHA, or Island Health) board of directors will hold their March meeting in the Comox Valley. It’s an opportunity for Comox Valley and Campbell River residents flummoxed by the myriad errors in planning the new hospitals to ask questions or even make presentations to the directors and Island Health executives.
Water bottling project raises aquifer concerns
The B.C. government has approved a controversial groundwater licence for a water extraction and bottling operation on a two hectare property on Sackville Road in the Merville area. They did it despite a strong objection from the Comox Valley Regional District and without public consultation or regard for community concerns.
VIHA says new hospital issues are “normal” to planning
The Vancouver Island Health Authority says the problems at the North Island Hospitals that Decafnation has recently reported are “normal.” We disagree.
Municipal election 2018: Who’s in, who’s out around CV
With just 257 days before Comox Valley voters choose the 29 elected officials who will run local governments and school district through 2022, only a few people have declared their candidacy. Among them, David Frisch, who sees “a lot of work to do.”
Fully fund N.I. health care, hold VIHA accountable
The independent analysis of the Vancouver Island Health Authority (VIHA, or Island Health) delivered by external consultants Ernst & Young two weeks ago concluded that an electronic health records system implemented at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital (NRGH) was “not properly planned or implemented.”
Lagging seniors health care affects CVH, distressed caregivers
With the Island's largest over-65 population percentage and one of the lowest number of residential care beds per capita, Comox Valley caregivers are in distress and hospital workers feel the brunt of overcapacity and understaffing. VIHA says more beds and support...
VIHA brought changes, not always an improvement
For long-time employees of St. Joseph’s General Hospital, the transition to the new Comox Valley Hospital has presented a triad of difficult changes, including a less flexible management style and some systems that are less efficient and effective.
Flawed planning at root of new hospital’s problems
Already overcapacity, Comox Valley Hospital planners overlooked whole departments and made assumptions on capacity and the new iHealth software that have worsened the bed shortage and added to worker stress, overtime and low morale. This is the second in a...
A DECAF report: Growing pains or systemic problems at new CV hospital?
The accumulation of problems at the new Comox Valley Hospital has created a staff morale problem. But which are growing pains or resistance to change, which are systemic and what needs to be done? The first in a series of articles.
Town of Comox confesses: we misspent Laing’s money
The Town of Comox has, for the first time, admitted to spending money left in trust to the town by Hamilton Mack Laing. And the town took a first step toward reparations. But not everyone agrees the town did enough.