Hospital expands maternity clinic

By Dan Hilborn
Published June 14, 2006


An expanded maternity clinic at Burnaby Hospital is making it easier for local parents to have their baby born close to home.

Dr. Joan Holman, one of seven general practitioners who work in the recently expanded clinic, said two new examination rooms and a larger reception area should help encourage more women to have their babies born in Burnaby.

"Basically what we're about is streamlined access to high-quality maternity care in a family-centred community hospital," Holman said. "This is about making access easy and keeping people close to home, if that's where they want to be."

The expansion will allow another 200 births per year at Burnaby Hospital and is part of a plan to stem the tide of women who head to Vancouver to give birth.

Statistics indicate that up to 800 women who live in Burnaby give birth in other hospitals, most notably Royal Columbian and B.C. Women's and Children's, Holman said.

Burnaby Hospital has traditionally had about 1,400 childbirths per year.

The changes are also intended to give the Burnaby Hospital maternity ward a friendlier feeling.

"We've got nice, airy, bright rooms that are large and can accommodate a whole family," Holman said. "The goal is to make the facility available for everyone who wants to come."

Another reason for the expansion comes from the simple fact that fewer family practitioners deliver babies now. Although there are more than 50 family doctors who practise in Burnaby, only about a dozen of those doctors still perform deliveries, Holman said.

Women who choose to give birth at the clinic will have the services of specially trained doctors and nurses, in addition to the benefit of specialist referrals, dietitians, lactation consultants and diabetes education, Holman said.

The expansion, which opened on June 5, is already busier than expected. In its first four days of operation, the new clinic had nine new clients, all of whom are expected to give birth in Burnaby, Holman said.

"We're off to a good start," she said.

Expectant mothers who want to have their baby born at Burnaby Hospital should contact their referring physician or the clinic, preferably before the 12th week of pregnancy.

* Open House: The new maternity clinic is opening its doors to the public today and twice a month into the foreseeable future. Today's open house runs from 6 to 8 p.m., on the fifth floor of the west wing of Burnaby Hospital, 3935 Kincaid St.

Other open houses are held on two Thursdays each month. For more information, contact the clinic at 604-431-2822.