Outpatient services and community programs resume in Edson

EDSON — Alberta Health Services (AHS) is working hard to ensure the community of Edson has care available with the resumption of outpatient services at the Edson Healthcare Centre and community health programs.

Through the continued uncertainty around the current wildfire situation in the area, the care and safety of our patients and staff remains our top priority as we work to resume care services.

Services may be subject to adjustment to ensure the safety of those providing and receiving care.

• AHS Home Care staff have resumed services and are available to support client care needs in the community.
• Hemodialysis services resumed May 12. All dialysis clients are being contacted and notified by Alberta Kidney Care North. Hemodialysis clients who remain evacuated from the community continue to be accommodated at other facilities.
• Outpatient Laboratory and Diagnostic Imaging services resumed May 15.
• All Public Health community services, including immunizations, resumed May 15.
• Addiction and Mental Health services resumed May 15.
  • At this time, community Addiction and Mental Health services are available virtually or by phone.
  • Local residents impacted by wildfires can book a virtual or by-telephone appointment by calling 780-725-6110 (local Mental Health services general and referral) or 780-725-6382 (local Addiction services general and referral support) between 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday.

Returning home after a wildfire evacuation can be a particularly stressful experience. If you need to talk, supports are also available 24/7 through the Mental Health Helpline at 1-877-303-2642, the Addiction Helpline at 1-866-332-2322, or Health Link at 811. Online mental health resources are available on the AHS website at ahs.ca/helpintoughtimes.

Clients will be contacted directly by AHS to have their appointments rescheduled as soon as possible.

The EHC emergency department remains open. Inpatient admissions continue to be temporarily paused. EMS remains available to the community and will transport patients to alternate facilities as needed.

Currently, there is no timeline available for when patients and continuing care residents might be repatriated back to the community.

Patients, residents, their families and the health facilities where they have been relocated to will be notified when arrangements are in place for their safe return. AHS provided an update to patients, residents and their loved ones on May 11.

We are extremely grateful for our frontline teams, staff and physicians who have come together to support the wildfire response across the organization.

AHS provides wildfire resources for Albertans at ahs.ca/wildfire, including mental health, air quality, and emergency planning links.

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.