BACKGROUNDER
2007HEALTH0119-001329 Oct. 19, 2007	Ministry of Health Vancouver Coastal Health
RICHMOND HOSPITAL PERINATAL UNIT RENOVATION

Vancouver Coastal Health has approved $6.7 million worth of renovations to the perinatal unit at Richmond Hospital that will establish a single room maternity care model. Improvements to the 17-bed unit – including two new beds – will allow mothers to stay in the same private room throughout their delivery, with no room transfers. Other features will include:

 

• Expanding NICU space, doubling the number of beds from three to six and a building a separate neonatal resuscitation space;
• New physical lay-out that minimizes transfers and maximizes family centred care offering best practices in perinatal service delivery;
• Improved infection control facilities: private perinatal rooms and bathrooms, designated negative pressure NICU and perinatal isolation rooms, improved HVAC;
• Two parent “companion” rooms with double bed facilities so parents can support their newborn;
• Enhanced operating room to accommodate all emergency caesarean sections and eliminate the transport of mothers and babies during emergencies;
• Increase in OBTV maternal and fetal electronic monitoring system capacity;
• Dedicated teaching and academic space to support training of health care professionals including midwives;
• Enhanced security using new card access system;
• Single room care for post-caesareans and gynecology patients;
• Promotion of breastfeeding, early mother, baby and family bonding;
• Care for twin pregnancies and women with medical or obstetrical complications;
• Mechanical and electrical upgrades.

 

Construction on the renovation is set to begin in November 2007 and will be completed in approximately 12 months. Maternity and the NICU will continue at full operation throughout the duration of this project.

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Media contact:	Marisa Adair Communications Director Ministry of Health 250 920-8500 (cell) 250 952-1887 (media line)	Viviana Zanocco Senior Media Relations Officer Vancouver Coastal Health 604 708-5282
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