Updated: Temporary disruption at Swan Hills emergency department

SWAN HILLS — Due to an unanticipated lack of physician coverage and the inability to secure locum coverage, the Swan Hills Healthcare Centre emergency department will be without physician coverage August 17 at 7:00 a.m. to August 29 at 7:00 a.m.

Nursing staff will continue to be available during the day from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. to triage and assess anyone presenting to the emergency department. Patients may be referred to alternate emergency departments as needed.

As part of an existing, temporary change in hours at the Swan Hills Healthcare Centre, the emergency department is closed nightly between 7:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. due to a lack of available nursing staff and the inability to secure physician coverage.

Patients are asked to call 911 if they have a medical emergency. EMS remains available to the community and will transport patients to alternate emergency departments when necessary.

This is a temporary measure and AHS is working hard to ensure local residents continue to have access to the care they need during this time.

The emergency department is anticipated to be open 24 hours a day, resuming regular hours with both physician and nursing coverage, beginning August 29 at 7:00 a.m.

Regular hours will resume as soon as possible and disruptions may not occur if coverage is found.

We are grateful for the support of surrounding healthcare centres and medical staff and would like to thank the community for its patience and understanding during this time.

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.