Fraser Health

Fraser Health was created in December 2001 as part of a province-wide restructuring of health authorities by the then-new BC Liberal government of Premier Gordon Campbell. It is the merger of three former health regions: Simon Fraser Health Region (SFHR), South Fraser Health Region, and the Fraser Valley Health Region (FVHR).

SFHR had been formed in 1996 by the merger of the Fraser–Burrard Hospital Society (Royal Columbian Hospital, Eagle Ridge Hospital and Ridge Meadows Hospital) with the Burnaby Health Region (Burnaby Hospital) and the extended care facilities operated by the Pacific Health Care Society (Queen's Park Care Centre and Fellburn Care Centre).

It is governed by the provincial Health Authorities Act.

It has 29,000 employees and serves the region from Boston Bar in the Fraser Canyon down the Fraser River Valley to the Vancouver suburbs of Burnaby and Delta. It is the largest health authority by population in British Columbia (BC).[4] Its 1.8 million residents include approximately 62,000 Indigenous people associated with 32 First Nation bands and 5 Métis chartered communities.[2]

Three rapidly growing communities also included in Fraser Health are Abbotsford, Maple Ridge, and Surrey; all three are served by expanding community-focused acute-care hospitals and related services.

Fraser Health provides health care services for the following communities:

The region's portion of anti-vaccination population occasionally contributes to outbreaks of infectious diseases, such as the 2014 measles outbreak of 320 cases, the most in BC history.[5] Between Aug. 1, 2017, and July 31, 2018, Fraser Health performed over 91,000 surgeries and postponed nearly 2,300 operations on the day of surgery.[6]

Services provided by Fraser Health include primary health care, community home care, mental health and addictions, acute medical, and surgical services.

Fraser Health has 12 acute-care hospitals including 3 regional hospitals and 9 community hospitals as well as an outpatient care and surgery centre.

Fraser Health has approximately 110 community sites delivering health care services.

The Royal Columbian Hospital, located in the city of New Westminster, is the oldest hospital in British Columbia and one of Fraser Health's busiest. A major tertiary-care facility known for trauma care, neurosurgery and open-heart surgery, the Royal Columbian Hospital has the only program in British Columbia capable of performing cardiac surgery for expectant women. In September 2018, it was announced that Fraser Health had purchased two private MRI clinics in Surrey, British Columbia, and Abbotsford, British Columbia.[7]

According to the Chilliwack Progress in 2019, home-support clients within Fraser Health would have their care directly managed by the health authority.[8] The change is being made because contracts with external service providers for home support services are set to expire in March 2020.

The board of directors functions as Fraser Health's governing body, and oversees the conduct of the organization's business through the executive team, which is responsible for the day-to-day operations. Board members are appointed by the Minister of Health through the provincial Board Resourcing and Development Office. Prior to the 2001 regionalization, communities elected board representatives.

• Fraser Health website