Vernon Jubilee Hospital administration is changing in the midst of the new tower nearing completion and demands growing for more beds.
Pat Furey, acute area director, is retiring June 3, and the Interior Health Authority has initiated a recruitment process.
“She has been innovative, willing to listen to new ideas and willing to meet with physicians and staff to work together to find solutions to our ongoing crisis,” said Dr. Ed Hardy, medical staff president.
“The timing of Ms. Furey’s retirement could not really be worse. We are only a few months away from moving into the new tower, the hospital is severely over-crowded, campaigns to complete the new floors and add new community beds are underway, and in the middle of all of this, we are going to be once again without strong local administration.”
Hardy suggests the retirement may be linked to conditions at the hospital.
“VJH has been chronically overcrowded since Pat started two years ago, and the last year has been particularly stressful and unpleasant for all staff,” he said.
“Local administration naturally bears the brunt of staff, patient and public complaints, and also has to answer to senior administration and government.”
Furey insists her departure is not related to the pressures facing the hospital.
“I love VJH and the work and it’s just personally time for me to retire,” she said.
She is also confident issues at the hospital will remain a priority through the transition.
“There is a strong team on the ground and it will be business as usual,” said Furey.
“It’s not about one person. It’s a team approach.”
IHA is expected to receive the keys for the patient care tower in about nine days, and access for the public will begin in September.
“The building is substantially finished and we just need to get our staff trained,” said Furey.
Besides the tower, the other issue facing the hospital is being overcapacity on an ongoing basis.
Physicians and other health care workers are demanding that the Ministry of Health develop two shelled-in floors in the tower for acute care beds.
Ministry officials have indicated the situation is being reviewed but there is no guarantee of funds.
“Those discussions will continue. It (retirement) won’t change anything about that process,” said Furey.
Furey is VJH’s fifth administrator in 12 years.
“This constant change and instability is unhealthy and absolutely unacceptable for any organization, and has certainly adversely affected this hospital and region,” said Hardy.
