January 14, 2022
ROCKY MOUNTAIN HOUSE — The Rocky Mountain House Health Centre will be temporarily unable to provide obstetrical services until 8 a.m. January 17.
Obstetrical patients due during this time are being contacted directly by their physician or midwife and will be referred to Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre (RDRHC) to support in-hospital births. This includes patients who wish to deliver by a scheduled c-section.
This is not a decision that Alberta Health Services (AHS) takes lightly; it is a necessary one made in the best interest and safety of our patients and staff in response to staff illnesses which are impacting staffing levels.
Prenatal patients in Rocky Mountain House will continue to receive antenatal care from their local care team, prior to being referred for their delivery. Patients and their newborns will continue to receive care from their local provider following delivery and discharge from hospital.
This is a temporary measure only. Alberta Health Services is working hard to ensure local residents continue to have access to the care they need during this time, and to keep all other services at the site operating as normal.
Inpatient units are not impacted by this closure.
Those who are pregnant and infected with COVID-19 are at a higher risk of getting very sick, being admitted to hospital, and developing complications that need intensive care.
If you are pregnant, you can get the COVID-19 vaccine at any time during pregnancy. Vaccines are safe and effective. They lower your chance of becoming very sick from COVID-19 and spreading the virus to others, including your baby. The COVID-19 vaccine is safe for pregnant individuals and their babies. AHS is strongly urging those who are pregnant, trying to become pregnant, or have recently delivered, to get both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible.
Appointments for COVID vaccination, as well as seasonal influenza, can be made online (https://bookvaccine.alberta.ca ) or by calling Health Link at 811.
Alberta Health Services is the provincial health authority responsible for planning and delivering health supports and services for more than four million adults and children living in Alberta. Its mission is to provide a patient-focused, quality health system that is accessible and sustainable for all Albertans.
