Vancouver Coastal Health

Vancouver Coastal Health

VCH service area map
Motto	Promoting wellness. Ensuring care.
Formation	2001
Type	British Columbia Health Authority
CEO	Mary Ackenhusen
Key people	Clay Adams, Dr. Patrick O’Connor, Dr. Patricia Daly, Dr. John Maynard, Laura Case, Glen Copping, Vivian Eliopoulos, Anne Harvey, Paul Brownrigg, Jennifer MacKenzie, Barb Lawrie, Karin Olson, Dr Dean Chittock, Oliver Grüter-Andrew
Budget	$3.2 billion (CDN) (approx)
Staff	20,000 (approx), 5,000 volunteers (approx), 2100 physicians
Website	www.vch.ca

Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) is a regional health authority providing direct and contracted health services including primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary care, home and community care, mental health services, population and preventive health and addictions services in part of Greater Vancouver and the Coast Garibaldi area.

VCH is one of six publicly funded healthcare regions within the Canadian province of British Columbia. The Provincial Government of British Columbia, through the British Columbia Ministry of Health, sets province-wide goals, standards and performance agreements for health service delivery by the six health authorities.

VCH serves the one in four of British Columbia’s four-million population who live in a geographic area of 58,560 square kilometres including 12 municipalities, four regional districts and 14 Aboriginal communities, including:

Vancouver Coastal Health administers 13 hospitals and 3 diagnostic and treatment centers and 15 community health centers and more than 500 facilities provide a range of direct and contracted services including home and community care, mental health services, population and preventive health, addictions services and primary care.

VCH is not responsible for all health care within Metro Vancouver. Other hospitals such as BC Children's Hospital, BC Women's Hospital & Health Centre, and agencies such as the BC Cancer Agency are operated by the Provincial Health Services Authority. Downtown Vancouver's St. Paul's Hospital is operated by Providence Health Care. Community partners and non-governmental organizations also provide certain health care services either in collaboration or under contract.

Seven care facilities, including British Columbia's second-largest hospital, St. Paul's Hospital, are operated through agreement with Providence Health Care, a Roman Catholic faith-based care provider. The CEO of Providence sits as a member of VCH's executive team. Through another affiliation agreement with the United Church of Canada, VCH also provides health services in Bella Bella and Bella Coola and the surrounding areas. VCH treats patients referred for specialized services from other health authorities throughout the province.