"There’s an unspoken philosophy on our team: we care deeply, and we always show up. Since opening, our department has never missed a single shift, caring for up to 360 patients a day while maintaining the lowest ‘left without being seen’ rate in the province by far."
Dr. Neil Long, Emergency Physician, Kelowna General Hospital
WHY GIVE?
It only takes a moment for everything to change. An accident. A fall. A stroke. A sudden illness – when things take a turn for the worse. When that moment comes, the answers, treatment, and in some cases, the future depends on what happens next, after arriving at the doors of the Emergency Department.
The Emergency Department at KGH provides 24/7 assessment, stabilization, and critical care for people facing sudden, serious illness or injury. Without a doubt, emergency clinicians at KGH deliver exceptional care for people they have never met, on what may be one of the most difficult days of their lives. They move quickly, make complex decisions, and carry the emotional weight of crisis so patients and families do not have to face it alone.
This level of care is now being delivered in an environment stretched beyond what it was originally built to support. As the population continues to grow in the Central Okanagan, KGH is experiencing record pressure on its Emergency Department. This pressure reflects not only local growth but KGH’s regional role as a vital hub for acute and specialty medicine, caring for patients who arrive by road and air ambulance across the Southern Interior of BC. Today, KGH manages some of the highest emergency volumes in BC, ranking second only to Surrey Memorial. This means KGH sees more emergency patients than large urban hospitals such as Vancouver General and St. Paul’s.
HOW WILL MY GIFT HAVE AN IMPACT?
Your support will help bring forward important upgrades to improve patient flow, efficiency, and the overall patient experience, including:
ED visits recorded at KGH in the 2024/25 fiscal year, making it the second busiest ED in BC
of ED visits are considered “emergent/urgent”
The time it takes for 90% of patients to have their initial physician assessment
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
Despite growing pressures, every day the emergency team at KGH continues to care for their community. They are ready, skilled, and steady, with an unwavering commitment. This hardworking team is there for us when we need them most. Now, it’s our turn to show up for them.
To complete the $40 million ‘Closer to home than you think’ campaign, we are raising $2.5 million to support the people who care for us and the hospital we’re proud to call our own. These efforts will enable targeted improvements that address the flow and capacity challenges facing KGH’s Emergency Department. This is our opportunity to help shape the future of emergency care for all of us, right here in our community
While government funding remains essential, it cannot always respond quickly to immediate local needs. Philanthropy is how our community takes agency in shaping our future, ensuring that world-class emergency care is not just something we hope for, but something that is close to home.
Investing in the upgrades to the Emergency Department will directly improve patient flow, reduce congestion, and support the dedicated team who care for us.
No one plans a visit to Emergency. But when that moment arrives, the care waiting inside those doors will be stronger because our community chose to stand behind it.
Thank you for considering a gift to KGH’s Emergency Department.
CLOSER TO HOME THAN YOU THINK
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