Alberta Health Services supplied Athabasca County with the following release on August 11th 2023:
Due to a lack of available physicians and inability to secure locum coverage, the Boyle Healthcare Centre emergency department will be without physician coverage August 14 at 9:00 a.m. to August 20 at 8:00 p.m. This disruption may not occur if coverage is found.
Patients are asked to call 911 if they have a medical emergency. 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.
EMS remains available to the community and will transport patients to alternate emergency departments when necessary.
Nursing staff will continue to be available during the day from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. to triage and assess anyone presenting to the emergency department. Patients may be referred to alternate emergency departments as needed. This includes Athabasca (44 km) and Smoky Lake (77 km).
As part of an existing, temporary change in hours at the Boyle Healthcare Centre, the emergency department is also closed nightly between 8:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m. due to a lack of available nursing staff.
Residents are reminded to call Health Link at 811, which is available 24/7 for non-emergency health-related questions.
AHS continues to aggressively recruit healthcare professionals for rural areas. This temporary closure, as well as any updates (should coverage be found), is posted to AHS Facilities Temporary Bed / Space Reductions (www.ahs.ca/br/page17594.aspx).
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.
There are several initiatives underway to help support recruitment efforts including northern incentive programs, as well as working closely with practicing professionals and the community. The Alberta Rural Health Professions Action Plan is also in place, aiming to improve rural medical services for communities, support rural practitioners and recruit new talent.
