April 14, 2023
FORT VERMILION — Due to the inability to secure on-call lab and diagnostic imaging staff, the St. Theresa General Hospital emergency department will be temporarily without lab and diagnostic imaging services between the hours of 11 p.m. and 7:30 a.m. every Monday and Tuesday from April 17 to May 31, 2023.
This is a temporary measure and Alberta Health Services and Alberta Precision Laboratories are working hard to ensure local residents continue to have access to the care they need during this time.
The emergency department will remain open 24/7 with physicians and nursing staff on site to provide triage, assessment, and treatment.
Patients with concerns requiring urgent lab or diagnostic imaging services during these time periods will be diverted by EMS to Northwest Health Centre in High Level (81 km).
AHS continues to aggressively recruit healthcare professionals for rural areas. AHS has several initiatives underway to help support recruitment efforts including northern incentive programs as well as working closely with practicing professionals and the community. The Alberta Rural Health Professions Action Plan is also in place, aiming to improve rural medical services for communities, support rural practitioners and recruit new talent.
We are 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 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.
