November 30, 2023
WAINWRIGHT — Due to an unexpected gap in physician coverage, the Emergency Department (ED) at the Wainwright Health Centre will be temporarily closed from noon until midnight on Friday, Dec. 1
The Swan Hills Healthcare Centre emergency department will be temporarily closed during the following times:
The ED will reopen and return to full operation as of midnight Friday
Nursing staff will remain in the ED to assess and triage any walk-in patients who present during the closure. Depending on their needs, patients will be referred to alternative care options, which may include referral to emergency departments in surrounding communities including the Vermilion Health Centre, Viking Health Centre or Provost Health Centre as appropriate. EMS will be available to transport patients to other facilities if needed.
Patients with less urgent needs may be referred to local medical clinics for walk-in appointments where available.
All other services at the site will continue to operate as normal during the temporary ED closure. Inpatient units are not affected, and patients will continue to receive the care and support they need.
Patients are asked to call 911 if they have a medical emergency. Residents are reminded to call Health Link at 811, which is available 24/7 for non-emergency health-related questions. Individuals requiring non-emergency medical care are also encouraged to call their family physician.
We are thankful 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.
