Correction: A previous version of this story had mistaken Karen Cooper as Diane Shendruk.
Interior Health is launching a virtual overnight emergency room service in four rural hospitals—Clearwater, Lillooet, Nakusp, and Princeton—to reduce temporary overnight closures and improve patient access to emergency care. The pilot program is designed to support communities facing staffing shortages and recruitment challenges, while easing the workload on rural physicians.
Under the new system, one on-site physician will be present at a hospital during overnight shifts. Meanwhile, nurses at neighboring sites can access support from a virtual physician in Clearwater using specialized iPads. If a serious emergency arises, the local on-call physician can be contacted to provide in-person care.
“This model gives doctors a better work-life balance while keeping ERs open,” said Karen Cooper, Executive Director of Clinical Operations for the Thompson Cariboo Rural. “Instead of overnight shifts every few nights, physicians may only be on call once in 24 nights, but still have the support to respond when needed.”
Nursing support is a key component of the pilot. All four sites will now have two nurses on overnight shifts, addressing previous concerns about lone overnight nurses and easing recruitment challenges. “Having a buddy nurse overnight makes a huge difference,” Cooper said. “It relieves moral distress and helps retain staff.”
The pilot also includes significant IT upgrades. Sites are moving to fully electronic medical records, including pharmacy and medication management, allowing virtual physicians to review and update patient care efficiently. “Paper-based systems slow down care, especially when supporting other sites virtually,” Cooper explained.
Community leaders have expressed cautious optimism. Mayor Merlin Blackwell of Clearwater praised the initiative: “This ensures our nurses and doctors have support overnight, which benefits the whole community.” Other directors highlighted the potential for the model to expand to small hospitals like Ashcroft and Logan Lake, where overnight coverage has historically been limited.
The program will be closely monitored, tracking patient transfers, physician call-ins, and overall safety. It also meets industry and occupational health requirements, ensuring that major employers in the region continue to have access to emergency care.
The pilot is expected to begin in early 2026, with public engagement materials, including videos, planned to help communities understand the changes and the benefits of virtual ER support.
