Victoria General Hospital (VGH)

This hospital Emergency Department is open 24/7 for life-threatening or serious health concerns. Patients are seen based on the urgency of their condition, not the order they arrive. 

How to Get Care at This Hospital

If you or someone else is in danger or needs urgent medical help, call 9-1-1 right away.

You can also come directly to the Emergency Department. When you arrive, a nurse will check how urgent your condition is. The most serious cases are treated first.

Wait times can vary. If your condition is not an emergency, you may be encouraged to visit a same-day or urgent care clinic.

When to Come to This Hospital

Call 911 or go to the Emergency Department for:  

Emergency Care

• Signs of a stroke (numbness, confusion, trouble speaking)
• Chest pain or signs of a heart attack
• Major injury or trauma
• Mental health crisis
• Head injury with loss of consciousness
• Pregnancy complications
• Feeling unwell and on dialysis
• Overdose or poisoning
• Sexual assault or rape 

Medical Imaging at VGH
Medical Laboratory at VGH

Sign Up for a Doctor or Nurse Practitioner

If you don’t have a family doctor or nurse practitioner, you can register to be matched when one becomes available. 

Visit: healthlinkbc.ca/health-connect-registry

Services at this location

Adult rehabilitation - outpatient program

Rehabilitation Services are available at this location.

Referral required?

Yes.

How to get a referral

A doctor's referral is required. Patients must meet the admission guidelines for each program.

Contact Us

Outpatient Programs - Adult Rehabilitation
Victoria General Hospital
1 Hospital Way
Victoria, B.C.
V8R 1J8
250-727-4070 
Fax 250-727-4075

Electrodiagnostics - heart health

Electrodiagnostics provides inpatient and outpatient cardiovascular-related diagnostic testing, such as electrocardiogram (ECG/EKG), holter monitoring and exercise treadmill tests.

Referral required?

No.

Contact Us

Use the general facility contact information listed below.

Regional stroke program

The Division of Neurology, in partnership with the Heart and Stroke Foundation of British Columbia and the B.C. Stroke Strategy, is working to establish a regional stroke program, centred out of the Victoria General Hospital.  In addition, the Campbell River Regional Hospital has developed an outpatient stroke clinic that works with patients to prevent strokes and manage risk factors.

The goal of the program is to offer all residents of the Vancouver Island Health Authority with stroke symptoms the opportunity to receive the same level of care.

How it Works

The Acute Stroke Consultation Service is a telephone based consultation system where the Emergency physician from any Island Health hospital can connect to the Neurologist on call. 

Neurologists are able to view the imaging and then consult via telephone, or in-person where possible, with the attending physician.

More complex cases may be treated at community hospitals and then transferred to the Victoria General Hospital, or they may be referred to Royal Jubilee Hospital for surgery on the major arteries to the brain.

Should you need rehabilitation, the Regional Stroke Program is also connected with inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation services.  Inpatient rehabilitation services are provided at the Victoria General Hospital and Nanaimo Regional General Hospital.  Community services also help enhance reintegration of stroke survivors into the community.

General Information on Regional Stroke Program

Referral Required?

Yes.

 

Contact Us

Neurosciences Regional Program
Victoria General Hospital 
1 Hospital Way
Victoria, B.C. 
V8Z 6R5
Fax: 250-727-4106 

Stroke rapid assessment unit

The Stroke Rapid Assessment Units (SRAU) are located at the Victoria General Hospital and Nanaimo Regional General Hospital, as well as the North Island Stroke Prevention Clinic at the Campbell River Hospital providing rapid access to:

• Neurologists and internal medicine specialists with special interests in stroke
• Nurses with special training in stroke care
• imaging studies of the brain and blood vessels

This allows for timely assessment of patients who have suffered a minor stroke or TIA, which significantly reduces the number of first and recurrent strokes. It also allows for early identification of patients who are candidates for surgery on the major blood vessels to the brain, as well as prompt placement on medications for stroke prevention.

General Information on Stroke Rapid Assessment Unit

Referral Required?

Yes.

 

Preparing for Your Visit

• COVID-19 Resources
• My Virtual Visit
• Heart and Stroke
   

Contact Us

Nanaimo: 250-740-6926
Victoria: 250-727-4056

Hours of Operation
Monday to Friday: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

Perinatal Services 

Victoria General Hospital Perinatal Services includes the Antenatal Assessment Unit, Labour & Delivery, Antepartum, Postpartum and Neonatal Intensive Care Units.

The hospital is located on the traditional territory of the lək̓ʷəŋən peoples, known today as the Esquimalt and Songheses Nations.

It is important to be connected with a maternity care provider early in your pregnancy so that important early pregnancy tests are done. Both family doctors and midwives are covered by BC MSP. Midwives provide both home and hospital births. Either option is suitable for most people. You can get connected to one of these providers by clicking this link:

Finding a Maternity Care Provider

Each year, we help to bring around 3,000 babies into the world. VGH is the only birthing hospital in Victoria, although not all our patients are from here; many families travel from their home communities for the level of care Victoria General Hospital can offer.

See the additional resources section below for pre-operative information if you are having a scheduled caesarean delivery at Victoria General Hospital. 

Please reach out to your care provider if you have any questions. Visit the Planning for Pregnancy & Birth page for more information.

 

General information on Victoria General Hospital Perinatal Services

Referral not required 

Inpatient hospital services operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Cystic Fibrosis services

The information below is intended for patients and families visiting the Adult CF Clinic.

General Clinic Information

• Clinics are held all day on Wednesdays
• Please allow 2 to 3 hours for a clinic visit
• A respirologist and all of the available team members will review your care
• In the case a team member is not available, arrangements to address your needs will be made through the clinic coordinator
• Routine sputum sample collection and simple spirometry will be obtained at each clinic visit
• Please bring your portable chest clearing device to every scheduled clinic visit, so that we can review them with you

Due to limited available space, clinic schedules are decided months in advance.  The clinic accepts pre-booked appointments only.  With notice, there may be some flexibility to reschedule appointments. 

We will notify you of your scheduled appointment 4-6 weeks in advance.  You will also be notified of appointments for additional testing / annual testing to be arranged outside of a scheduled clinic date.  These appointments will often be arranged through an Island Health facility near your area of residence.

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Telehealth Clinic Visits

• The CF Team connects through Telehealth Services with patients living outside of Greater Victoria
• Telehealth is arranged through the nurse coordinator and telehealth services of Island Health
• Only alternating visits will be considered for Telehealth

For more information, please contact the clinic.

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Infection Control

Hand Hygiene is the most effective way to prevent unwanted organisms.  Clinic Infection Control practices follow recommended polices set by Island Health and Cystic Fibrosis Canada:

• There is no common waiting room
• You are assigned to your own examination room on arrival at clinic
• Team members will see you in your assigned room

• Team members practice CONTACT ISOLATION

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Accessing Care Between Clinics

• IF YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY, CALL 911 OR GO TO THE NEAREST EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT

• The Cystic Fibrosis Clinic attempts to have one of our Respirologists available during office hours to discuss non-emergent CF-related problems.
• Contact on call CF doctor through their office assistant (it is suggested you call in the morning)
• If one office is closed, try another CF doctor
• Please provide an accessible phone number for the doctor to return your call

• Most calls will be returned the same day

  If you are unable to make contact with a CF Physician, please try your family doctor, a doctor in a walk-in clinic, or your local emergency department.  Notify them that you are followed through the Adult CF Clinic. 

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In Patient Care

• Direct non-emergent CF Hospital admissions are usually arranged within 24 to 48 hours of a bed request.
• CF admissions will be to 8 North the Respiratory Care Unit at the Royal Jubilee Hospital; you will have your own private room
• The CF team will be available to support you as an inpatient
• Bring your chest clearing device (Pep mask, Flutter or other) and your pancreatic enzymes to the hospital with you

• If you normally utilize a steam sterilizer for cleaning your respiratory equipment, please bring it with you. 

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Confidentiality 

Information about your health is confidential.  Your doctor and other health care professionals will not discuss your condition with your family or friends without your expressed consent.  A copy of any CF related medical dictations will be sent to your General Practitioner.

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Paediatrics Program Contacts

The Paediatric Ambulatory Program is at Victoria General Hospital.

Pediatric Medical Director: Dr. Steven Kent

Nurse/Coordinator: Alison Manning
Email: Alison.Manning@islandhealth.ca
Phone: 250-727-4450

For further information on the Victoria Paediatric Program please contact the paediatric nurse coordinator.

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General Information on Cystic Fibrosis services

Referral not required. 

For Bookings:

Phone: 250-370-8917
Email: CF.RJHPAC@islandhealth.ca

Adult Program Contacts

Adult Cystic Fibrosis Clinic
Royal Block - RB 435
Royal Jubilee Hospital

CF Medical Director: Dr. A. Young 
General Office number: 250-995-0211 (voicemail available)

Other CF doctors: Dr. K. Aboulhosn
Phone: 250-595-0213

Nurse / Clinic Coordinator: Kirsten Gordon
Phone: 250-370-8100 local 13395
Cellphone: 250-208-5167
Email: Kirsten.Gordon@islandhealth.ca

Additional team members may be contacted through the Nurse Coordinator, Social Work, Physiotherapy, Respiratory Therapist, Registered Dietitian, or Pharmacist.

For Bookings: 
Phone: 250-370-8917
Email: CF.RJHPAC@islandhealth.ca 

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Paediatrics Program Contacts

The Paediatric Ambulatory Program is at Victoria General Hospital.

Pediatric Medical Director: Dr. Steven Kent

Nurse/Coordinator: Alison Manning
Email: Alison.Manning@islandhealth.ca
Phone: 250-727-4450

For further information on the Victoria Paediatric Program please contact the paediatric nurse coordinator.

Finding Us:

MAP

Additional Resources

 

Cystic Fibrosis Canada 

Colon Screening Program

Colon cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed forms of cancer. In the early stages, there are no symptoms, which is why screening is so important. Screening saves lives by detecting non-cancerous polyps and cancer early. If colon cancer is detected at its earliest stage, the chance of survival is greater than 90 percent. 

Colon Cancer Screening in BC is organized under a partnership framework with regional health authorities, laboratory service providers, primary care providers, and specialists. The BC Cancer Agency provides oversight for organized cancer screening in BC. Island Health delivers Colon Screening Program services to its population in the South, Central and North Island through regional offices in both Nanaimo and in Victoria. 
 

How to get a referral:

There are two screening tests for colon cancer – the fecal immunochemical test (FIT) for average risk individuals, and colonoscopy for individuals at higher risk. If you are eligible, any primary care provider can order these tests for you. 

In general, anyone between the ages of 50-74 who is experiencing no symptoms should be screened for colon cancer with a FIT test. If you receive an abnormal result from your FIT test, it does NOT mean you have cancer. However, it is very important to attend follow up tests to determine the reason for the abnormal result. Usually, the recommended follow up is a colonoscopy.  

Anyone experiencing symptoms, or with a personal history of colon cancer, ulcerative colitis or crohn’s disease has individual needs that cannot be met with a population approach to screening. These patients should obtain care and diagnostic testing through their primary care providers or specialists rather than the Colon Screening Program.
 

Preparing for your visit:

If a colonoscopy procedure is recommended for you through the Colon Screening Program, someone from either the Central Island or South Island office will contact you. You will undergo a telephone health assessment and your colonoscopy will be scheduled at an Island Health Hospital or Surgical Centre, as appropriate. You will receive detailed information about the procedure, instructions on how to prepare, and will have an opportunity to ask questions.
 

Contact: 

Central Island Colon Screening Program Office

Telephone: 250-755-7984

Monday - Friday: 7:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Closed weekends and statutory holidays.

South Island Colon Screening Program Office

Telephone: 250-388-2312

Monday - Friday: 7:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Closed weekends and statutory holidays.
 

After your colonoscopy:

Following your colonoscopy, you will be contacted by a Colon Screening Program Nurse Navigator. The nurse will review your procedure results, and will inform you of any further monitoring or surveillance recommendations. Ongoing surveillance is recommended for everyone until the age of 74, but varies depending on your colonoscopy results, personal history, and family history. You will either be mailed a reminder when it is time to repeat the FIT test, or you will be contacted in the future to schedule a surveillance procedure when due.