The reasons for patients to come to the Hematology Apheresis Unit will depend on individual needs. One of the main functions of the Hematology Apheresis Unit is to assess stem cell donors and autologous transplant patients prior to the blood stem cell collection process.

Click on the following links to learn more about what to expect for your appointments at the Hematology Apheresis Unit:

Get information on the Facility, Transportation & Parking, and Accommodations prior to coming to the hospital:

Facility Overview

The Location

The Hematology Apheresis Unit (HAU) is located in the Krall Centre, which is on the 6th floor of the Blackmore Pavilion (CP) at 855 West 12th Ave at Vancouver General Hospital.

Blackmore Pavilion may be accessed from the main hospital entrance on West 12th Avenue, or from Jim Pattison Pavilion. Take the elevator in the Blackmore Pavilion to the 6th floor.

The Unit

The Hematology Apheresis Unit is comprised of 4 treatment areas and 2 private treatment rooms.

Hours & Contact Info

The Hematology Apheresis Unit is open Monday to Friday from 07:30am – 6:30pm.  The Unit is closed Saturdays, Sundays, and statutory holidays. The phone number for the HAU is 604-875-4626.

The Staff

The unit is staffed by an apheresis physician, nurses, unit assistants and biomedical technologists. The apheresis physicians work on a rotation and the physician assigned to the unit that week will see you on an as-needed basis.

Transportation & Parking

Transportation

If you need help with transportation to and from the hospital, talk to the social worker or the nurse. There is a volunteer driver program available. The BMT social worker can also assist you in obtaining a handicapped-parking sticker for your car.

Taxi

Black Top Cabs have a direct phone on the wall between the Gift Shop and lobby on the 1st floor of Jim Pattison Pavilion.

Volunteer Drivers:

The Canadian Cancer Society, in partnership with the Freemasons and other volunteers, may be able to drive patients to their cancer treatment appointments at no cost. Donations accepted. *Please always book two days ahead if possible*.

Freemasons Volunteer Drivers (no charge) 604 872 2034 Covers Vancouver, Burnaby, New Westminster, Richmond Operates Monday to Friday.

Volunteer Cancer Drivers Society (no charge) 604 515 5400 Covers North Shore, Tri-cities, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Surrey, Delta, Langley, White Rock, New Westminster, Abbotsford, White Rock Operates Monday to Friday.

Volunteer driver information can be found here.

Parking

Pay parking exemption is available for patients undergoing cancer treatment in acute-care settings. For more information or for assistance with parking validation and reimbursement, please contact VCH at commuting@vch.ca or call 604-785-3409 (available Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.).

You may be dropped off at the main entrances to the Jim Pattison Pavilion or Leon Blackmore Pavilion.

Note that there is no temporary parking at these entrances – only active drop-off and pick-up allowed.

Please refer to the included map for parkade locations and prices, these prices are subject to change.

VGH Parkade This is located on Laurel Street and West 12th Avenue. There are two entrances: Laurel Street and West 12th Avenue.

Diamond Health Care Centre Parkade This is located on Laurel Street, between West 10th and West 12th Avenues. There is only one entrance and it is accessible via Laurel Street.

Street Parking: There are metered parking spaces around the hospital on 12th Street, Laurel Street and on the upper ramp of the Jim Pattison Pavilion entrance.

There is free street parking available on the street if you have time to drive around the side streets and don’t mind walking a few blocks. Street parking closer to the hospital have a green 2-hour limit sign between 6am and 6pm. There is no time limit for these spaces at night between 6pm and 6am.

How can I find out more about Disabled parking stickers for my vehicle?

Applications for disabled parking stickers require approval from your doctor. To find out if you qualify, go online www.sparc.bc.ca/parking-permits/apply-for-a-permit/ or call 604- 718-7744 or toll free at 1 888 718 7794.

Additional parking information can be found here.

Many patients requiring treatment do not live in the Lower Mainland or may have friends and relatives from out of town who wish to stay in Vancouver to support them. When making reservations, be sure to ask for “Medical Rates”. If needed, the social workers can assist in finding accommodation in the area.

Accommodations Guide

When making reservations, be sure to ask for “Medical Rates”. 

Click on the PDF icons below for printable versions of the accommodation guides.

Places to StayDownload

Disclaimer:
Please note that rates in the Accommodations Guide are not guaranteed and subject to change. The facilities cited are only suggestions. No endorsements or comments are in any way implied with regard to quality, safety, or other aspects of operations. Visitors should contact the individual residences for further details such as check in/out times, cancellation policies, etc. Any concerns with the accommodation should be discussed and resolved with the proprietor.

What is the Hematology Apheresis Unit?

This is a combined unit which includes the Hematology Daycare and the Apheresis Unit. The hematology daycare is where patients receive treatments such as chemotherapy, blood transfusions, intravenous medications and phlebotomy.

Apheresis means separating blood into components as it is being drawn from the patient/donor. It is the safest, most efficient collection method for obtaining or removing a specific blood component – stem cells, platelets, white cells, leukemia cells, plasma or red cells. Apheresis is used for many different health conditions. Your doctor will discuss why you might need apheresis before the procedure.

In an apheresis procedure, a special machine called a cell separator is used. . This machine safely and painlessly collects a component of your blood and then returns the rest of your blood back to you.

Stem Cell Donors or Autologous Transplant Patients

One of the functions of the Hematology Apheresis Unit (HAU) is to assess blood and marrow donors having peripheral blood stem cell collections prior to the collections. This assessment will include:

  • A brief review of your medical history by an apheresis physician
  • A discussion about the collection procedure
  • A vein check, which is important to determine whether the arm veins will be adequate to allow for stem cell collections on a cell separator machine

Appointments for the stem cell collections and assessment prior are made by the BMT Nurse Navigators. If you need to receive G-CSF, a drug used to encourage stem cell growth, those appointments are also made by the BMT Nurse Navigators. The times of these appointments are determined by the procedure.

What do I need to bring?

  1. You must bring all your medications to your appointments at the HAU.
  2. Depending on the purpose and length of your visit, you may wish to bring a lunch or snack to your appointment.
  3. You may have a caregiver accompany you to the appointment, but the number of people should be kept to a minimum as the treatment rooms are small.