July 30, 2015
ST. ALBERT – Work will begin shortly to replace the 25-year-old ventilation system in all five operating rooms at the Sturgeon Community Hospital (SCH), ensuring the facility continues to meet health and safety standards.
The five operating rooms will be closed temporarily Aug. 7-30 to allow the current ventilation system to be replaced.
This facility improvement will cost approximately $600,000 and provide new and improved technology for air circulation within the operating rooms.
No elective surgeries have been scheduled for this time period in anticipation of the required improvement work.
Other departments, including emergency, will continue to provide service. Any patients coming to the SCH’s emergency department that require emergency surgery will be transported to another facility.
Labour and delivery services will continue at SCH. A dedicated caesarean section room will be available for emergency and elective C-sections.
The temporary closure was planned with input from other Edmonton hospitals, and also scheduled during summer, when there is a reduction in operating room cases.
Ventilation system upgrades, in addition to daily monitoring and maintenance, are done to ensure facilities continue to meet safety and health standards.
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.
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