LAKELAND - Two area healthcare centres have resumed surgical services after both being without anesthetist coverage throughout parts of December and early January.
The St. Therese-St. Paul Healthcare Centre resumed surgical services as of 8 a.m. on Jan. 4, and anesthetist coverage also resumed in Cold Lake on Jan. 3, allowing surgical procedures to occur.
From Dec. 20 to Jan. 4, surgical services at the St. Paul hospital had been "temporarily paused" due to a lack of anesthetist coverage. This affected a number of areas, including obstetrics.
As of Tuesday, C-sections could once again be performed in St. Paul.
"AHS is thankful for the support of surrounding healthcare centres and medical staff, and the community for their patience and understanding," reads a statement from Logan Clow, a senior communications advisor with AHS.
While resuming surgical services is obviously good news for the community, the hospital does still continue to face a staff shortage that has been ongoing for a number of months.
"As a result, 10 of the 42 acute care inpatient beds remain temporarily closed until Jan.15," according to AHS. Beds could re-open sooner if staffing levels permit, says Clow.
Cold Lake
A number of departments at the Cold Lake Healthcare Centre also experienced intermittent service disruptions between Dec. 9, 2021 and Jan. 3, 2022 due to a lack of anesthetist coverage.
Service disruptions in obstetrics, surgery, stroke and respiratory (COVID response) may still experience "intermittent service disruptions at the Cold Lake Healthcare Centre" from 4 p.m. Jan. 14, 2022, to 8 a.m., Jan. 17, 2022, again due to a lack of anesthetist coverage, according to Alberta Health Services (AHS).
"During this time, AHS will work to ensure all patients have the support they need. This includes working with sites in surrounding communities," according to Clow.
While recruitment efforts are ongoing, anesthetists are "extremely difficult to secure," says Clow.
Five out of 24 acute care beds remain temporarily closed in Cold Lake, due to "Temporary staff shortage due to vacation, vacancies, ongoing recruitment," according to AHS.
A notice was also sent out on Saturday saying the Emergency Department in Cold Lake would face rolling closures from Jan. 9 to 14.
The emergency department’s rolling closures are due to an inability to secure locum physician coverage, according to a statement from AHS.
The Cold Lake Healthcare Centre Emergency Department was temporarily without on-site physician coverage for periods of time on Sunday and Monday. Closures will happen again on Tuesday from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m.; from 11 p.m. Wednesday to 3 p.m. on Thursday; and from 11 p.m. on Thursday to 7 a.m. on Friday, this week.
Nursing staff will remain on-site at Cold Lake’s emergency department to provide triage, assessments and referrals for patients to go to other emergency rooms in surrounding communities when necessary. AHS advises the public to call 911 if they have a medical emergency.
EMS will be re-routed to surrounding healthcare centres to ensure area residents are able to access the emergency services they need.
Elk Point emergency department
The Elk Point Emergency Department also continues to experience service disruptions, with no on-site physician coverage Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 8 a.m. to 8 a.m. the following day.
"Nursing staff will assess, triage and refer patients as appropriate," according to AHS. The anticipated end date is also listed as Jan. 15, although the situation has been ongoing since the summer of 2021.
Patients are sent to Emergency Departments in surrounding communities, as needed. EMS calls are re-routed to the St. Paul hospital, which is 35 km away.