The Bassano Health Centre Emergency Department — located about 140 kilometres southeast of Calgary — will be suspending services for the Labour Day weekend because of staff shortages. .“Due to a lack of physician coverage, the Bassano Health Centre Emergency Department will be temporarily closed for the long weekend from 5 p.m. Friday, Sept. 2 to 8 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 6,” said Alberta Health Services (AHS) South Zone in a Thursday tweet. .AHS South Zone said people should call 911 for medical emergencies or Health Link at 811 for non-emergency medical problems. It said emergency calls will be rerouted to Brooks, AB, and patients seeking care can access it at the Brooks Health Centre. .After the closure, AHS said the Bassano Health Centre ED will be extending its current hours from Wednesday to October 31. The ED will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and operate the entire weekend. .This ordeal comes after AHS said in July the Airdrie Community Health Centre Urgent Care Centre will be closed overnights from Friday to Sunday for eight weeks because of gaps in medical coverage. .READ MORE: Airdrie urgent care unit to close on weekend nights for two months.“All patients in need of emergency care will receive it,” said AHS Calgary Zone. .“Patients presenting to the Urgent Care Centre during the closure will be assessed, triaged and referred to alternative sites or to local medical clinics for follow up depending on their needs.”
