Page 2— Ha-Shilth-Sa—January 28, 2021
Port Alberni hospital gets $6.25-million for ER Expansion will add 2,626 square feet for patients, after facility’s use has grown to 25,000 emergency visits a year By Melissa Renwick Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Port Alberni, BC - The West Coast General Hospital in Port Alberni is set to undergo a $6.25-million emergency department redevelopment in March. The 2,626 square-foot expansion will include the addition of three new patient exam beds, extra space for those awaiting test results, a private room for people in need of emergency mental health care, improvements to the triage and admitting areas, along with two separate entrances for ambulances and the public. Not only will the increase of clinical space reduce wait times, it will also offer more privacy and security for patients. “Currently, patients who are agitated or violent and need emergency mental heath care are located in an assessment room near the waiting area,” said Island Health. “A seclusion room will provide security and privacy for those patients and for people in the waiting area.” When the hospital was built in 2001, the emergency department was designed to meet the needs of the region’s population at that time, which was around 12,000 patients annually, said Chris Francey, business director of the West Coast General Hospital Foundation. Now, it receives over twice as many patient visitations. Mid-Island Pacific Rim MLA Josie Osborne said that over 25,000 patients visited the emergency department in 2019-20. Along with Port Alberni, the emergency department serves the surrounding communities, such as Tofino, Ucluelet and Bamfield. “Expanding and improving the emer-
Photo by Eric Plummer
Since it was built in 2001, visits to the West Coast General Hospital have more than doubled. gency department at West Coast General Hospital is critical not just for Port Alberni, but all of the West Coast communities,” said Francey, in a release. Project costs are being shared between the province, which is providing $2.55-million, the West Coast General Hospital Foundation, which is putting forward $2-million and the Alberni-Clay-
oquot Regional Hospital District, which is contributing $1.7-million. “Upgrades are needed so the hospital can continue this high level of care for people for decades to come,” said Health Minister Adrian Dix. According to Island Health, the redevelopment will not require an increase in staff to meet patient care needs.
“West Coast General Hospital is an important part of the community and region,” said Osborne. “It’s great to see action being taken to upgrade the emergency department, which will improve patient privacy and make it easier for larger family groups to accompany their loved ones.”
Transforming diet, activity level and losing weight in the process Continued from page 1. Sam transformed what he eats, cutting out fatty and high-sugar food, instead relying on vegetables, a variety of local berries and mixed nuts to quell his appetite. “I stay away from pastries and all kinds of junk food,” he said. “I don’t really have it here in my place or I’d eat it.” He consumes some meat, but minimizes carbohydrate intake to better control his blood sugar level. “For my dinner I just peel one potato. Sometimes I don’t even finish that if it’s a big potato,” said Sam. “When I buy bread, a loaf of bread, I put it in the freezer and pull off a couple of pieces for my toast in the morning. It stays in the freezer so I don’t keep on eating it.” In Sam’s freezer small Tupperware containers are neatly stacked, each containing a carefully measured portion of a meal for future consumption. This discipline in controlling intake is maintained while eating out as well, said Dickens. “When he goes to a restaurant he asks for a take-out container instantly, so he can put half of his portion away before he starts eating,” she said. The other component to Sam’s transition is a steady reliance on moderate exercise. He began last year by walking his 230-pound frame around his apartment. Now at 185 pounds, he travels much further, often using an electric bicycle to take local trips. One of his favourite destinations is Paper Mill Dam park on the Somass River. “If I can’t make it back home I use the motor on the bike,” said Sam. “I can ride a lot farther than I used to.”
“I let my body fight that pain. The painkillers are no good for me anyway. They’re no good for my liver” ~ Paul Sam A pair of light kettlebell weights lie at the ready on his floor, and Sam increased his initial output of four leg squats to 30. He’s seen others push themselves too hard to lose weight, then quit out of hunger. Sam points to the importance of keeping a balanced lifestyle, rather than working excessively hard towards his goals. “I think he’s being very modest, he has worked very hard,” commented Dickens. “It’s right in that it’s not that hard to do. He still enjoys certain things and he’s not going to the gym for a crazy amount of hours or anything like that. He has been dedicated.” Over the last eight months Sam’s daily supplemental insulin intake has declined from 65 units to 25. And his dedication to improved health has led to another mark of victory: weening himself off of pain medication. “It’s next to nothing; I quit taking painkillers,” he said. “I let my body fight that pain. The painkillers are no good for me anyway. They’re no good for my liver, it gets me constipated. [Painkillers] just disconnects something in your brain that pain is still there; your brain is just fooling you.”
Photo by Eric Plummer
Paul Sam stands with his electric bicycle outside of his Port Alberni apartment.
