(BRENDAN KERGIN / iNFOnews.ca)

KAMLOOPS - The summer lull never came to Royal Inland Hospital.

Typically the hospital sees a bit of a slowdown in activity during the summer months, but the hospital’s top administrator Carol Laberge says things didn’t really slowdown.

“We didn’t see it this year and we don’t know why,” she says. “We’re sitting at 112 per cent to 120 per cent on a daily basis.”

While she isn’t sure of the reason, one theory is the lack of local doctors means more people end up at the hospital. However, the hospital is working with community partners to find solutions.

With colder weather coming, she says, the hospital has prepared winter surge plans which are set up to help the hospital deal with the expected influx.

There are alos more efficient ways to help patients at the hospital thanks to the space freed up by the new clinical service building.

“With the clinical service building opening it’s allowed us to move our orthopaedic clinic which was next door to emergency room,” she says.

With the new room, the hospital will be able to improve patients’ flow through the system, making it more efficient, she says. The movement of neurodiagnostics to the new building also means hospital administration is looking at creating a stream for mental health patients visiting the emergency room. While they would still be triaged in the same area, they could follow a different path into a more private section of the hospital for treatment.

Overall, while the hospital administration isn’t certain what exactly will happen with the increased space, Laberge says it’s offering new opportunities.

“It gives you an opportunity to look at ways you flow people that is more efficient,” she says.

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