Council encourages residents to write their MLA and other provincial officials to call for a solution to physician shortages at Fort Macleod Health Centre.
The health centre’s emergency department was closed temporarily six times during July and August.
“We encourage residents to voice their concerns directly to MLA Chelsae Petrovic, as your feedback is crucial in driving the changes we all seek,” council wrote in a statement. “We believe that through our collective efforts, we can overcome this challenge.”
The Fort Macleod Health Centre’s emergency department closed from 8 a.m. July 16 to 8 a.m. the following day.
Alberta Health Services next announced the emergency department would close for 12 hours beginning at 8 a.m. July 25, reopening at 8 p.m.
AHS next announced the emergency department would be closed from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Aug. 8.
Then on Aug. 12 the emergency department closed from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
It was the same situation on Aug. 15 when the emergency department was closed from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
On Aug. 23, the emergency department closed from 1-5 p.m.
All of the closures were the result of a lack of physician coverage.
“We share your frustration and are determined to work with AHS and our provincial representatives to ensure Fort Macleod receives the reliable healthcare it deserves,” council stated. “Your concerns are our concerns, and we are committed to addressing them.”
During the closures, nursing staff remained on-site to provide care for long-term care residents.
Patients were asked to call 911 if they had a medical emergency.
EMS calls were re-routed to Chinook Regional Hospital in Lethbridge.
Patients seeking care were instructed to access emergency services at the centres in Pincher Creek and Cardston Health Centre or Chinook Regional Hospital.
Residents were encouraged to call Health Link at 811, which is available 24/7 for non-emergency health-related questions.
Individuals requiring non-emergency medical care were instructed to call their family physician.
Fort Macleod isn’t the only community having difficulty with staffing.
The Coaldale Health Centre Ambulatory Clinic was temporarily closed Aug. 18 due to gaps in staff coverage, and reopened the next day.
The clinic also closed Aug. 14 from 5:30 to 10:30 p.m. due to a lack of physician coverage.
Council has brought the situation to the attention of AHS, the Rural Health Professionals Action Plan and MLA Chelsea Petrovic.
“Over the past several years, we have consistently advocated for more physicians in Fort Macleod and pushed for immediate and long-term measures to stabilize our healthcare services,” council stated. “We have also collaborated with neighbouring municipalities to develop joint strategies for addressing this critical issue.”
Council adopted a physician recruitment plan that includes a five-year commitment payment of $10,000 and additional community memberships and passes.
“We continue to explore further strategies to attract and retain physicians to prevent additional closures,” council stated.
