Calgary's Rockyview General Hospital is so short of doctors, patients requiring emergency surgery were relocated to other hospitals in the area..Staffing shortages on Tuesday meant the Rockyview Hospital was left unable to cope. Patients who needed emergency surgery were sent to three other hospitals in the city..The staffing situation that disabled the hospital’s ability to manage incoming emergencies occurred between 5 p.m. Tuesday and 8 a.m. Wednesday..Alberta Health Services (AHS) confirmed in an email to CBC News that physician coverage could not be secured.."There are no planned surgical postponements at Rockyview General Hospital and no impact to scheduled elective surgeries," AHS spokesperson Kerry Williamson said in an email.."For a period of 15 hours beginning at 5 p.m. on June 14 there will be no additional general surgical coverage at Rockyview to support emergency surgeries.".Williamson’s email stated a general surgery staff surgeon would be on-call to assess incoming emergency cases during the shortage..He said a general surgery staff surgeon would be on-call and available to provide advice and assessment of emergency situations at the Rockyview during that period.."This is not unusual," he said. "It is routine for patients to be diverted to specific hospitals depending upon specific need and available resources.".The Alberta NDP has said the situation "unacceptable." Hospitals in Alberta have been struggling to cope. Staff shortages and inadequate resources have been an ongoing bone of contention between health professionals and the Government of Alberta for some time.."This hospital is essential for emergency care in Calgary. People in need of emergency surgery require immediate critical care. Every moment counts. They should not be forced to travel to a different hospital across the city," NDP health critic, David Shepherd, said in a news release late on Tuesday.."This will also put more strain on other hospitals in the city that are already struggling to meet the needs of Albertans as a result of the UCP's mismanagement of healthcare. Hospitals in Calgary are already facing higher demand with surgeries being diverted from Red Deer.".Serving almost half a million people in Central Alberta, the Red Deer Regional Hospital has had a general surgical diversion in place since the spring of 2022..According to AHS, as of 10 a.m. Tuesday, a total of 111 surgery cases were diverted from the Red Deer Regional Hospital..During the same time frame, Williamson said 233 urgent and scheduled general surgeries were undertaken at the hospital.
