UPDATE: AHS identifies additional elective surgeries for postponement at Medicine Hat Regional Hospital

NOTE : All surgeries have now resurmed (June 7, 2017)

MEDICINE HAT – Alberta Health Services (AHS) has assessed scheduled and elective surgeries taking place at Medicine Hat Regional Hospital (MHRH) Thursday, June 1 and Friday, June 2, 2017, and identified no scheduled and elective surgeries to be postponed.

AHS has notified all affected patients, advising of the change to their surgical plan. Patients will be contacted by their surgeon’s office to reschedule procedures as soon as possible.

By postponing these surgeries, and having our medical devices and materials reprocessed at other sites, we have maintained our ability to complete some high priority procedures at MHRH.

Emergency and urgent surgeries also continue at the facility. 205 scheduled and elective surgery postponements have taken place May 9 through today, May 31 (inclusive). 107 surgeries have already been rescheduled and 20 surgeries have already been completed.

The decision on postponements next week will depend on progress made on resolving the water quality concern that is still currently impacting our ability to reprocess all medical devices at this site.

We continue to work toward isolating the root causes of this issue, and water quality testing and monitoring is ongoing.

We know this is inconvenient and potentially stressful for the affected patients and we apologize for that. Decisions are made with patients first in mind.

Our most immediate concern is, as always, the safety and well-being of patients, physicians, staff and visitors. We know that the drinking water serving all at this site, is safe.

Affected patients, or patients who are concerned about this issue, can call Site Administration at 403-502-8648 (ext. 1509) during regular business hours, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

We thank all our staff, physicians and volunteers for their assistance and dedication to maintaining excellent patient care and services.

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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