Presentation from Interior Health on the Emergency Department stats given to Osoyoos and Oliver Councils. The stats indicate that the number of people entering the hospital at South Okanagan General Hospital Oliver (SOGH) are much higher than overall figures with the regional Health Authority.

Nearly 70 per cent of the emergency visits to SOGH in Oliver could be treated by a walk-in clinic, says Interior Health.

The health agency’s administrator of acute services, Carl Meadows was providing an update on services at Oliver’s hospital – the largest in the sub-region behind Penticton.

He said the facility saw 18,000 visits last year, with up to 70 per cent of them for non-urgent care. That compares to about 46 per cent for hospital visits across Interior Health.

“There’s no blaming anybody,” Meadows said, explaining the difference could be attributed to a lack of family doctor space in the community or the need for emergency lab care.

Meadows said the renovations to the hospital’s emergency, triage and reception area are currently in the planning stage, with drawings still being prepared.

There are 18 acute care beds for those admitted by a doctor for short term care. That capacity is about 90 percent.

Source: Town of Osoyoos and files from Castanet