BOYLE - The Boyle Healthcare Centre's emergency department (ED) will be without a doctor for the next three nights, starting tonight June 8 from 6 p.m. to June 9 at 8 a.m.
Today's announcement from Alberta Health Services (AHS) comes the same day as the emergency room reopened at 8 a.m. after 24 hours of being closed, due to a lack of on-site physician coverage. The emergency room will close again June 9 at 10 p.m. and will reopen June 10 at 8 a.m., close again at 7 p.m., then reopen June 11 at 8 a.m. when regular physician coverage is expected to resume.
A June 8 media release from AHS stated:
"This is a temporary measure and AHS is working to ensure local residents continue to have access to the care they need during this time.
Nursing staff will remain on-site in the ED providing triage and assessments, and referrals for patients to other EDs in surrounding communities as needed.
Patients are asked to call 911 if they have a medical emergency. EMS calls will be re-routed to the Athabasca Healthcare Centre (45 km away) or William J. Cadzow - Lac La Biche Healthcare Centre (66 km away).
Depending on their needs, patients seeking care at the ED in Boyle might also be made aware of services available through local pharmacies. Residents are reminded to call Health Link at 811, which is available 24/7 for non-emergency health-related questions."
