June 17, 2023
PONOKA — The Ponoka Hospital and Care Centre emergency department (ED) will be temporarily without physician coverage from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Sunday, June 18, 2023.
As a result of this gap in physician coverage, the ED will close beginning at 6:30 a.m. in order for patients within the department at the time to be seen and treated. New patients presenting to the site seeking ED services after that time will be assessed by nursing staff and referred to other emergency departments in surrounding communities depending on their condition.
EMS will transport patients to alternative sites if necessary.
EMS crews returning from 911 calls with patients requiring hospital care will re-route to surrounding facilities, including the Wetaskiwin Hospital and Care Centre, Lacombe Hospital and Care Centre, and Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre.
Patients with non-urgent conditions will be redirected to other available care options as appropriate to their needs. These options include booking an appointment with a family doctor, calling Health Link at 811 for medical information and advice, or returning to the ED when it reopens later in the day if necessary.
All other services at the site continue to operate as normal.
AHS is grateful for the support of surrounding healthcare centres and medical staff, especially those who have stepped in to help minimize this coverage gap as much as possible. We would also like to thank the community for its understanding.
Alberta Health Services is the provincial health authority responsible for planning and delivering health supports and services for more than four million adults and children living in Alberta. Our mission is to provide a patient-focused, quality health system that is accessible and sustainable for all Albertans. Our current focus is on reducing emergency department wait-times, improving EMS response times, increasing access to surgeries, and improving patient flow.
