Surrey Memorial Hospital to add rapid assessment team for emergency care

Surrey Memorial Hospital will add a dedicated team at the entrance to its emergency department to rapidly assess arriving patients and direct them to the appropriate service, including the emergency room or a planned satellite emergency centre. The team is expected to begin operating by January 2027 and will include an emergency-trained registered nurse, a porter and clerical support.

Health Minister Ravi Kahlon announced Sept. 18 that the province is investing more than $33 million in the hospital and community services in Surrey. He said the investment is intended to help patients move through the emergency department more quickly, receive imaging and diagnoses sooner, and access more appropriate care.

The satellite emergency centre will operate as an extension of the emergency department for patients with less urgent needs, including sprains, minor pain and cuts requiring stitches. Construction is expected to begin within six months. Patients may also be directed to urgent care centres, pharmacies or virtual care.

The hospital will receive a new CT scanner and replace one that is more than 12 years old. Replacing the existing scanner could take up to 10 months, while installing a second scanner will take 18 months. Infrastructure Minister Bowinn Ma said the funding will support modern medical imaging, additional capacity and flexible health-care spaces.

The Surrey Hospitals Foundation is raising funds for the equipment and the satellite emergency centre. The provincial government and Fraser Health will also work over the next nine months to increase access to adult day programs and overnight respite services. The Health Ministry said adult day programs offer social, recreational and health-related activities, while overnight respite provides short-term supervised care for seniors and a break for family and other unpaid caregivers.

Fraser Health president and CEO Dermot Kelly said the investments are intended to make care more accessible for Surrey residents by combining faster assessment, improved diagnostic access and stronger community supports.