Three proponents have been short listed to participate in the next stage of the selection process to design, build and partially finance an expansion at the Penticton Regional Hospital.
Ellis Don Infrastructure, Plenary Health and Tandem Health Partners were short listed last week and have been invited to move on to the Request for Proposal stage.
“Today’s an-nouncement is one more step forward on the path to a new patient care tower for residents of the South Okanagan,” said Health Minister Terry Lake.
“The new facility is a great example of the investments we are making in communities across the province to strengthen health-care service delivery for patients and families.”
Six teams had responded to the Patient Care Tower Request for Qualifications. This stage closed on Nov. 6.
“Each completed stage of the competitive selection process brings us closer to the start of construction,” said Dan Ashton, MLA for the riding of Penticton.
“The new patient care tower is eagerly anticipated by our community and I’m looking forward to seeing the first shovel in the ground.”
The respondents included local, regional, national and international firms.
“Interior Health is committed to quality patient care for residents of the South Okanagan and Similkameen,” said Norman Embree, Interior Health board chair.
“The expansion of PRH is a priority for us and I am pleased that the procurement process is progressing on schedule.”
The total budget for the patient care tower is $325 million.
It will be funded by the province with $122 million to come from the Okanagan Similkameen Regional Hospital District and $20 million from the South Okanagan Similkameen Medical Foundation.
The first phase of the project is the construction of the tower.
It will include an ambulatory care centre, surgical services centre, 84 medical/surgical inpatient beds in single patient rooms, a new medical device reprocessing unit, and space for the UBC Faculty of Medicine program.
The tower will be approximately 26,700 square metres.
The second phase is the renovation of vacated areas in the existing hospital.
Construction is expected to begin in 2016, with the new tower opening in 2019.