Patients in need of emergency surgery were diverted from Rockyview General Hospital in Calgary on Tuesday night due to staff shortages.
Alberta Health Services confirmed in an email to CBC News that because doctors’ coverage cannot be provided, patients in need of emergency surgery will be sent to one of the city’s three other adult hospitals between 5pm on Tuesday and 8 a.m. Wednesday.
“There are no planned surgical delays at Rockyview General Hospital and there is no impact on planned elective surgeries,” AHS spokeswoman Kerry Williamson said in an email statement.
“For a period of 3 pm, starting at 5 pm on June 14, there will be no additional general surgical coverage at Rockyview to support emergency surgery.”
Williamson said a surgeon from general surgery will be on call and available to provide advice and assess emergencies at Rockyview during this time.
“This is not unusual,” he said.
“It is routine to refer patients to specific hospitals according to the specific needs and resources available.”
Alberta hospitals have come under increasing pressure in recent months. Alberta’s NDP called the situation “unacceptable.”
“This hospital is essential for Calgary emergency care. People who need emergency surgery need immediate critical care. Every moment counts. “They should not be forced to travel to a different hospital in the city,” NDP health critic David Shepard said in a news release Tuesday night.
“It will also put more pressure on other hospitals in the city that are already struggling to meet the needs of Albert residents as a result of poor health management by the UCP. Calgary hospitals are already facing greater demand, with operations being diverted from Red Deer.
The Red Deer Regional Hospital, which serves nearly half a million people in Central Alberta, has a total surgical deviation from April 29.
According to the AHS, at 10am on Tuesday, a total of 111 cases of general surgery were diverted from the Red Deer District Hospital.
Williamson said 233 general operations had been carried out at the facility over the same period, both emergency and scheduled.
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