SMOKY LAKE - The George McDougall - Smoky Lake Healthcare Centre emergency department will experience a disruption in services this week.
According to information from Alberta Health Services (AHS), due to the inability to secure physician coverage, the hospital will be temporarily without on-site physician coverage overnight for a few days.
Date include:
- 7 p.m., Monday, March 25 – 8 a.m., Tuesday, March 26
- 7 p.m., Tuesday, March 26 – 8 a.m., Wednesday, March 27
- 7 p.m., Wednesday, March 27 – 8 a.m., Thursday, March 28
"Nursing staff will remain on-site in the emergency department providing triage, assessments and referrals for patients to alternate emergency departments in surrounding communities, as needed," reads to notice from AHS.
Patients should call 911 if they have a medical emergency.
"EMS will remain available to the community and will work with the local healthcare centre to ensure residents continue to have access to the emergency services they need," according to AHS.
Residents can also call Health Link at 811 for non-emergency health-related questions.
"If coverage is found, disruptions may be cancelled. 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."
According to AHS, the provincial health authority's "current focus is on reducing emergency department wait-times, improving EMS response times, increasing access to surgeries, and improving patient flow."
