Surgical disruptions at St. Paul hospital

ST. PAUL - There will be periodic disruptions to surgical services at the St. Therese-St. Paul Healthcare Centre due to a lack of anesthetist coverage from March 10 to April 1.

According to information from Alberta Health Services (AHS), patients may be transferred or referred to other facilities, as needed, during this time. Patients could be sent to the Bonnyville Healthcare Centre (66 kms away) or Cold Lake Healthcare Centre (119 kms away).

"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. Patient safety is of utmost importance to us and we apologize for any inconvenience this may cause," reads information received from Logan Clow, spokesperson with AHS.

"We only make these decisions when absolutely necessary," added Clow. "We are grateful for the support of surrounding healthcare centres and medical staff and would like to thank the community for their patience and understanding during this time."

According to the provincial health authority, "It is not uncommon for smaller, rural sites to face staffing challenges, however steady progress is being made and recruitment is on-going. The competition to hire qualified professionals is tough – nationally and internationally - and we are always working hard to find new, innovative solutions to attract skilled care providers."

Efforts to recruit more healthcare workers to rural areas, such as the Lakeland region, continue to take place.

"AHS is also focusing on recruiting Internationally Educated Nurses (IENs) to areas of greatest need, starting with communities across North and Central Zones (including St. Paul). IENs are thoroughly screened and assessed to ensure they have the skills and experience to work as a registered nurse (RN) in Alberta," said Clow.

"The first, successful group of IENs are expected to arrive in Alberta by late spring 2023."

In a follow-up email with Lakeland Today, Clow confirmed that surgical patients affected by the disruptions are being contacted and rescheduled.

"We acknowledge that having a surgery delayed is frustrating. If a surgery is delayed, we do all we can to ensure it goes ahead as soon as possible. Any affected surgical patient is contacted, re-booked as soon as possible, and are advised to contact their surgeon or family physician if their condition changes," said Clow.

*This story was updated at 5 p.m. on March 10