Bow Island ED extending hours for long weekend

BOW ISLAND – The Bow Island Health Centre emergency department (ED) will open at 7 a.m. on Friday, May 16, and remain open until 7 a.m. on Tuesday, May 20, thanks to locum coverage over the May long weekend.

There is still an ongoing clinical personnel shortage and an inability to secure regular and consistent coverage during the remainder of the week. The ED will resume its current hours of
7 a.m. Fridays to 7 a.m. Mondays the following weekend.

During the temporary closure, nursing staff will remain on-site to provide care for remaining acute care patients and long-term care residents. Admissions to two acute care beds have been reopened.

Alberta Health Services (AHS) is actively recruiting for positions in the community and working to ensure local residents continue to have access to the care they need during this time.

Patients are asked to call 911 if they have a medical emergency. EMS services are prepared to respond to emergency events and support inter-facility transfers to neighbouring sites. Patients seeking care can access emergency services at the Taber Health Centre or the Medicine Hat Regional Hospital, both 57 km away.

Residents are reminded to call Health Link at 811, which is available 24/7 for non-emergency, health-related questions. Individuals requiring non-emergency medical care are also encouraged to call their family physician.

AHS is thankful for the support of surrounding healthcare centres and medical staff, and would like to thank the community for its patience and understanding during this time.

Alberta Health Services provides a range of healthcare services for more than four million adults and children living in Alberta. Our mission is to provide excellent, patient-focused healthcare that is accessible and sustainable for all Albertans. Our current focus is on reducing emergency department wait times, improving EMS response times, increasing access to surgeries, and improving patient flow.