Island Health

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Island Health
File:Vancouver Island Health Authority logo.png
MottoExcellent health and care for everyone, everywhere, every time.
Formation2001; 23 years ago (2001)
TypeBritish Columbia Health Authority
CEO
Kathy MacNeil
Budget
$2.8 billion in 2019/20[1]
Staff
23,000 staff; 2,500 medical staff; 4,000 volunteers[1]
Websitewww.islandhealth.ca


Island Health, also known as the Vancouver Island Health Authority, is the publicly funded health care provider in the southwestern portion of the Canadian province of British Columbia. It was established as one of five geographically based health authorities in 2001 by the Government of British Columbia.[2]

Island Health provides health care to over 850,000 people[1] over a geographic area of 56,000 sq km.[3] In the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in British Columbia, Island Health had 96 intensive care unit (ICU) beds and 140 ventilators available, including 22 transport ventilators.[4]

Communities[edit | edit source]

The region includes the communities of:

The largest population center is Greater Victoria on the southern tip of Vancouver Island as the majority constituent of the Capital Regional District (CRD; population 383,360 as of the Canada 2016 Census), which also includes some of the southern Gulf Islands.

Outside of the CRD, the primary hospital serving the populous lower island is the Nanaimo Regional General Hospital, serving Nanaimo and Parksville.

The other three metropolitan communities on Vancouver Island which function as centres of primary care are Courtenay, Campbell River, and Port Alberni.

Service[edit | edit source]

The main hospitals serving the CRD are the Royal Jubilee Hospital and the Victoria General Hospital, with the smaller Saanich Peninsula Hospital providing service to the Central Saanich and North Saanich municipalities. Saanich Peninsula Hospital "was built to replace the aging Queen Alexandra Centre for Children's Health, which was built in 1942 as a military hospital.


"[5] Island Health also operates various health centers and clinics throughout the region to provide accessible healthcare services to the population.

References[edit | edit source]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 "About Us". Island Health. Island Health. 2020. Retrieved 2020-08-29.
  2. "Regional Health Authorities". gov.bc.ca. Government of British Columbia. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
  3. "2018/19 – 2020/21 Service Plan" (PDF). islandhealth.ca. Island Health. June 2018. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  4. Grossman, Nina (20 March 2020). "Island Health has 96 ICU beds and 140 ventilators if needed". vicnews.com. Victoria News. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  5. "Saanich Peninsula Hospital". islandhealth.ca. Island Health. Retrieved 26 March 2020.

External links[edit | edit source]

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Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD