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Lessons learned in CT scanner project

$800,000 ‘communication disaster’ has brought organizations, sponsors closer together

With construction slated for spring, the end of the $2.2 million fundraising campaign to put a CT scanner in the Whistler Health Care Centre may be getting closer. Yet three months after the increased cost of the project was first announced, community members remain anxious about why the price of the equipment and facility they helped pay for skyrocketed.

As result, major players in the CT scanner project — Francis Halle from Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) and Marnie Simon from the Whistler Health Care Foundation (WHCF) — have stepped forward to discuss the issue.

In a joint interview, the two acknowledged that the increase in the project’s cost is a concern.

Halle even went so far as to call the project a “communication disaster” because the WHCF now has to go back to the community for money beyond the $1.5 million originally targeted and subsequently raised.

“We are working with (the WHCF) to make sure that we are never in this situation again,” he said.

And in response to the community skepticism about what happened with the project, Halle said: “We are concerned that (the community) are concerned. And we certainly understand why they are concerned.”

Simon also stressed that it is important the community understand the WHCF is not spending their donations carelessly.

“From the point of view of our donors who have given money, they need to be reassured that the money is completely earmarked for the CAT scan,” said Simon.

“And it is not just in a regular account, but in a couple of GICs. So it is in a trust, not just sitting idle. It is making a bit of money,” she said.

The approximately $800,000 price jump happened when the project went from the final design estimate to the pre-tender estimate. The architect had originally wanted to put the cooling plant — necessary for normal CT scan operations — on the roof of the health care centre. Unfortunately, the space for the equipment needed to be much larger than the original design accommodated, since the method to cool the equipment was changed.

“We had originally planned to have it cooled via capacity inside the building. But it has to have its own stand-alone cooling capacity,” said Halle.

A new design for the space had to be drawn up, and the CT scanner was moved to the ground floor of the building. A more complicated foundation also had to be designed to eliminate any vibrations that could affect the CT scanner images.

“That really is the major driver for the costs,” explained Halle.

Halle said there is now a requirement of future projects to better scope things out, to prevent running into this type of situation again.

“You don’t want to bump your head against something so late into the project that causes you such a cost overrun or schedule overrun. It compromises the project itself,” he said.

As to where the rest of the money will come from, Simon and Halle said they still have not come up with any innovative ways to raise the extra $800,000.

The project focus right now is on starting the construction for the 900-square foot addition. The hope is that the rest of the money will be raised by the time construction is complete in the summer.

VCH will fund the operating costs once the scanner is running but does not have the money to contribute to capital costs.

Halle added, however, that Whistler is getting a good deal on the CT scanner compared to other communities in B.C.

The 16-slide refurbished scanner, and the other equipment that goes with it, is costing $560,000. Comparatively, the CT scanner recently installed at St. Mary’s Hospital on the Sunshine Coast ended up being in excess of $1.2 million.

“Vancouver Coastal Health has entered into larger contracts with CT suppliers, by way of the volume purchases that have gone on. We’ve actually been able to get a really, really good deal on the CT,” said Halle.

Since the cost increase was announced in late September, VCH and WHCF have been working together to make sure funding sponsors have more control over the project. Sponsors now meet together before any major financial decisions are made and advise the VCH and WHCF whether to proceed or not.

The bulk of donations received for the scanner came from the Whistler Blackcomb Foundation, health care foundations in Squamish and Whistler, and dozens of private donations.

“It really has become more transparent with our partners. And it also gives them more direct control by putting their hands on the purse string,” said Halle.

Simon agreed.

“There really has been a change in the way we communicate, and it is a much more comfortable partnership than what it was,” she said.

Simon added that in the future, the foundation would like to rely more heavily on an annual fundraiser for its financial needs. The first attempt at this fundraiser — the Indulge evening at the Westin — was held in the fall and raised nearly $75,000 to help pay for urgently needed medical equipment.

She also said in the future the foundation would like to turn more to people outside of the community — but who come to Whistler often — to help contribute.

Beyond the CT scanner, VCH has other plans for medical equipment in the Sea to Sky corridor that they hope to receive ministry approval for soon. These include a new pharmacy for the Squamish Hospital Lab; renovations at the Pemberton Lab; a new negative pressure isolation containment room and psychiatric holding room for the Squamish Hospital; and a maintenance shop for medical needs in the Sea to Sky corridor, also located in Squamish.