The Milk River Health Centre Emergency Department, located about 70 kilometres south of Lethbridge, AB, will be closed Mondays to Thursdays between 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. from Monday to November 11 due to a lack of physician coverage. .A press release said the ED will be open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and weekends. .The release said this measure will be temporary, and Alberta Health Services (AHS) is working hard to ensure residents continue to have access to the care they need. It said nursing staff will remain on site to provide assistance to long-term care residents. .The release went on to say patients should call 911 if they have a medical emergency. It added emergency calls will be directed to the Chinook Regional Hospital in Lethbridge. .It said patients seeking care can access emergency services at the Chinook Regional Hospital or the Raymond Health Centre in Lethbridge. People requiring non-emergency medical care can contact Health Link at 811 or speak to their family doctor. .AHS thanked surrounding healthcare facilities and medical staff for their support and Milk River residents for their patience and understanding. .AHS had to post 32 notices of no physician coverage or service disruptions in several rural Alberta healthcare facilities in January and February. .READ MORE: EXCLUSIVE: Alberta’s physician shortages cause dozens of rural ER closures.Its news archives page shows there were 70 notices of no physician coverage or service disruptions in 2021 and seven in 2020..With the exception of several calls for volunteers, notices of a few facilities affected due to construction, and a four-day closure notice of the Rocky Mountain House Heliport, AHS did not notify of any physician shortages in 2019.
