March 12, 2014
LETHBRIDGE – Alberta Health Services South Zone is contacting patients scheduled for elective surgeries and some diagnostic tests to reschedule surgeries and procedures set for Thursday.
Postponements may occur Friday as well dependent on the status of water quality tomorrow.
“With the current level of turbidity in the water, our equipment can’t be properly and safely cleaned and sterilized,” said Dr. Vanessa Maclean, Medical Director, South Zone.
“We apologize to patients affected by this decision, I want to assure everyone the decision was not made lightly and has been made to ensure the safety of our patients.”
Emergency surgical cases will be managed with current supplies of equipment, and efforts are underway to secure additional supplies.
Patients are advised that unless they’re directly contacted by Chinook Regional Hospital, they should keep any appointments scheduled for Thursday or Friday. Only those patients whose procedures are being rescheduled will be contacted directly.
Alberta Health Services is the provincial health authority responsible for planning and delivering health supports and services for more than 4 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.
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