As Phase One of Burnaby Hospital’s redevelopment nears completion, a group of Burnaby Hospital staff are preparing to help their teams welcome patients in their new facilities.
Photo: Members of Burnaby Hospital's Medical Device Processing team tour their new Medical Device Reprocessing department.
As Phase One of Burnaby Hospital’s redevelopment nears completion, preparations are underway for the opening of the new Health Care Pavilion and expanded Support Facilities Building in spring 2026. This fall, staff ‘superusers’ and ‘activators’ began training to help ready teams for the transition into the new facilities. This marks an exciting milestone on the path to elevating patient care for the Burnaby community.
Superusers and activators, from a range of departments across the hospital, such as Food Services, Medical Device Reprocessing, Perioperative Services and the Emergency Department, bring broad knowledge and expertise to support the transition to the new facilities.
Superusers learn important information about the new facilities including technology and equipment such as patient lifts and the nurse call system. From there, superusers share their learning with their colleagues, ensuring that they have the knowledge and abilities they need to work confidently in their new workspaces.
Activators verify that their departments are set up with the supplies they need for operations and patient care. This includes distributing supplies to their departments and moving equipment to their final locations.
Having worked at Burnaby Hospital for the past five years, Rahnuma Khatoon, Medical Device Reprocessing Department (MDRD) coordinator, is excited to help prepare her department’s new space.
“I look forward to supporting my team and enhancing the care we provide to our patients,” Rahnuma said.
Over the next few months, ahead of opening day, superusers and activators will become experts on the new facilities, receiving advanced training on their respective units and departments’ new systems and equipment, and testing and validating new workflows.
Part of their training includes touring all of the spaces in the new buildings:
"I have built a lot of relationships in this department over the past 10 years,” shared Joshua Nacar, coordinator, Food Services, “so it is great to be their voice and their eyes in preparing a space that will become their next home.”
This valuable work will help teams adjust throughout the transition, in preparation for welcoming patients.
The new Phase One buildings will provide improved access to emergency, maternity and mental health and substance use services in modernized facilities that will help staff, medical staff and volunteers deliver quality patient-centred care.
Learn more about Burnaby Hospital’s redevelopment.