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Highlight: Therapeutic multi-sensory rooms
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Sample ‘underwater theme’ multi-sensory room from Snoezelen.Mind and body therapy
Both the new Seven Sisters and the psychiatry department in the new Terrace hospital will feature a multi-sensory room. Multi-sensory rooms are therapeutic tools that are becoming increasingly important in supporting individuals experiencing mental health and substance use challenges.
Multi-sensory rooms have specialized sensory equipment and materials that help clients recognize and adapt their responses.
These types of rooms are particularly effective in mental health settings since they provide therapeutic interventions in a controlled setting. Research shows that multi-sensory rooms help empower individuals that use them, support emotional regulation, as well as decrease the use of restraints and seclusion in inpatient settings.
“We’ve wanted to incorporate multi-sensory rooms into client care for a long time,” said Brad Leier, NH Manager, Specialized Services. “With the extra space in new Seven Sisters and hospital, clients now have the chance to benefit from these calming and engaging spaces that are specially designed with their care needs in mind.”
Big thanks to the REM Lee Hospital Foundation who fundraised to help pay for the rooms!
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Highlight: New, hands free communications technology
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MMH Medical Lab Technologists Paola Galang,left, and Brennan Bantle, show off their vocera badges during training. In January 2024, more than 150 staff at Mills Memorial Hospital and Seven Sisters received training to use Vocera, a hands-free communications technology. The new system has staff wearing a small badge – on a lanyard or on their uniform – that enables them to communicate instantaneously with each other and staff in other Northern Health facilities which utilize the technology.
“The technology is meant to help make work easier for staff, to help save time,” said Darci Paice, the NH employee who facilitated the training. “Staff have been really engaged. Once they see all the features and benefits of the Vocera system, they get pretty excited.”
With the newer hospital being so much bigger, Vocera will allow staff to work together more effectively. Instead of relying on less direct communications techniques– for example, physically seeking someone out, paging them through the overhead call system, or phoning them and leaving a message - staff will be able to call each other immediately through the badges. And after pressing the button once to ‘wake’ the badge, all the communication is hands-free!
Vocera also integrates with regular telephone services, so users can place and receive regular phone calls with their badges. It will also integrate with the nurse call system at the hospital, so through their badges, staff will receive and be able to respond to alerts more easily.
MMH Medical Lab Technologist Brennan Bantle has used Vocera at previous work sites and is pleased it’s coming to MMH.
“It’s great, really helpful,” he said, “especially when fewer staff are on site, for example, on night shifts.”
By helping staff do their jobs more efficiently and effectively, the technology benefits patients too. A staff person who needs support with a patient can stay with the patient and call for help using the Vocera system, rather than leave the patient in search of help.
Staff will start using Vocera in early February.
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Highlight: Emergency Department
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Download a copy of the Emergency Department poster.
Department features
- On Level 1
- Designated entrance, waiting area and registration area (separate from main entrance, waiting, registration area)
- Significantly larger and more welcoming space
- More patient treatment spaces
- Patient spaces separated by walls (not curtains) improving privacy and infection control
- Digital and in person registration desks
- Washrooms and hand hygiene sinks throughout
- Enclosed, heated double bay ambulance garage
- Two team care stations with strategic sight lines that enhance patient care, and patient and staff safety
Rendering of Emergency entrance
Rendering of Emergency department hallway
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Highlight: Interior colour & materials palette
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Northern Health worked with an interior design consultant to create a safe, welcoming and positive environment for staff, physicians, patients and visitors. Key considerations:
- Nature
- Northwest BC cultures
- Northwest BC communities
- Creation of calm, welcoming and comfortable environment
- Promotion of health, wellness and safety
- Department workflows and functions
- Health standards and infection control
- Long term maintenance, cost and availability of materials
- Prevention of triggers
The colour and materials palette applies to both the new hospital and the new Seven Sisters.
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Highlight: New ambulance garage
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Patients arriving at the new Mills Memorial Hospital by ambulance can expect a more comfortable and private experience as a result of a new, fully-enclosed, drive-through ambulance garage.The new ambulance garage is on the northeast corner of the main floor of the new hospital, near Keith Avenue.
At the current hospital, ambulances back into the emergency department lot behind the hospital. Patients are then transported out of the back of the ambulance, through the elements, through the main emergency entrance.
With the new garage, which has two bays, patients will be transferred in a fully-enclosed, temperature-regulated space. Once the ambulance pulls into the garage, the doors will shut to protect patients and staff from the outdoors and weather, which can be extreme at different at times in Terrace. Patients will then be transported directly into the emergency department, far away from the main emergency entrance.
The new garage was designed to meet industry standards in consultation with BC Emergency Health Services, which oversees the BC Ambulance Service.
Ambulance parking area, behind the hospital next to the Emergency Department, at the current hospital. 
View of ambulance entrance from inside current Mills Memorial Hospital.
