University of Alberta Hospital to begin maintenance work in emergency department

EDMONTON – The University of Alberta Hospital (UAH) is beginning a large maintenance project in the Emergency Department (ED) waiting area.

Work will start today on the construction of a temporary adult waiting area beside the ED. Construction of the temporary structure will not affect the UAH and Stollery Children’s Hospital EDs. The emergency departments remain open and patient care will not be impacted.

Construction of the temporary waiting area is expected to take two weeks. The structure will be a fully finished, enclosed, insulated space with accessible washroom facilities. It can accommodate the same volume of patients as the current ED waiting area.

The temporary waiting area will occupy a portion of the UAH ED ambulance bay. This will mean some temporary parking changes for EMS waiting on site. There will be no impact on patients arriving with EMS.

Once the temporary space is complete, the adult waiting area at the UAH ED will be relocated to that space so maintenance work in the current ED space can begin. This work includes necessary preventive maintenance and repairs to drywall, washrooms, and flooring to meet infection prevention and control standards, and improve patient safety. The project is expected to take six weeks to complete.

While the work is underway in the UAH ED waiting area, the public entrances to the UAH and Stollery EDs will change slightly – just steps away from the current entrances. There will be signage on-site to direct patients arriving for care. Parking options remain unchanged.

We appreciate the public’s patience and understanding as we undertake this required work to maintain and upgrade the UAH ED waiting area.

For more information on the COVID-19 pandemic in Alberta, visit ahs.ca/covid or alberta.ca/covid.

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.