The City of Armstrong, British Columbia and its neighbouring Township of Spallumcheen are situated
between the sunny, rolling Okanagan Valley and the cooler, forested Shuswap Valley.

The Haugen Community Healthcare Society (HCHS) formation is as a direct result of the depletion of healthcare services for our area (Armstrong/Spallumcheen) over the last years.

We are under serviced for local doctor care and if the members of our Society had not taken action our community would have lost 2 of our 3 full time local physicians at the end of June.

Our community is 110 years old and we have had adequate healthcare (including a hospital) for most of that time. Many of our citizens now travel outside the community to seek doctor services including visits to Vernon Jubilee Hospital's emergency room which is, itself, exceptionally busy and overcrowded. Providing a better level of doctor services in smaller areas such as ours, would lessen the congestion in emergency.

By taking the lead in establishing a health centre the Society has kept one physician from closing his practice and has attracted 2 new physicians, all of whom will jointly recruit the fourth partner for the group practice. Together with the other physicians in town, the new community health centre will retain the integrity of local healthcare.