No physician coverage in Wabasca emergency department

April 3, 2023

WABASCA — The Wabasca Health Care Centre emergency department is temporarily without on-site physician coverage effective 12 noon Monday, April 3 until 8 a.m. Tuesday, April 4.

During this time, nursing staff will remain on-site in the emergency department providing urgent triage and assessments and referrals for patients to alternate emergency departments.

Patients are asked to call 911 if they have a medical emergency. EMS will be re-routed to the Slave Lake Healthcare Centre (122 km), Athabasca Healthcare Centre (175 km), or High Prairie Health Complex (250 km). 

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. Inpatients will continue to be cared for by nursing staff and a local physician.

Depending on their needs, patients seeking care at the emergency department in Wabasca may 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.

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.

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. Our mission is to provide a patient-focused, quality health system 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.