AHS Update V216 - 2025-07-16
*NEW* AHS Update V216 (Of 2025!) - ICU - 184 of 224 (-7) beds occupied or 82% of beds are full. - It’s been 1,001 Days since Danielle Smith said, “HEALTHCARE FIXED IN 90 DAYS!!” That was a BIG lie! Buckle up folks.. this is the AHS update that keeps on kicking!
*NEW* The Hinton Hospital Emergency Department will be CLOSED from 9pm Tonight (July 16) Until 7am July 17th due to no Emergency Physicians or Locum coverage available. ED will be CLOSED from 4pm to 7am July 17 & 18th, July 19th &20th 9pm to 7am. Patients are diverted to Edson (87KM), Whitecourt (183KM), Drayton Valley (228KM), Westview Health Centre (254KM), Sturegon (285KM) or Edmonton (290KM). This closure means there is NO Stroke Center is available between AB/BC Border and Edmonton.
*NEW* The Swan Hills Emergency Department is now CLOSED until 7am July 17th due to no staffing available. ED will be CLOSED Nightly 7pm to 7am until July 21st. Due to this closure Acute care is also now CLOSED, until further notice. ED is NOT Staffed during this closure! Due to the remote location of Swan Hills, EMS & patients will be diverted to Whitecourt (82KM) Barrhead (104KM), Slave Lake *NO OB* (117KM) or Edmonton (220KM). Residents asked to call 911 for Emergencies or 811 non-urgent health matters.
*NEW* The Two Hills Emergency Department will be CLOSED from 10pm July 16 to 8am July 17th. ED is Closed Mon-Thurs 10pm to 8am, and Friday 5pm to Mon 8am. Closures due to no Physicians. EMS & Patients will be diverted to Vegreville (45KM), St. Paul (59KM), Viking/Lamont (75KM).
*NEW* The Hardisty Emergency Department remains CLOSED until 7am July 17th. ED is closed from 5pm to 7am Mon-Thurs and 5pm Fri to 8am Monday. Closure due to no Physicians, Locums or NPs available. EMS & Patients will be diverted to Killam (44KM), Wainwright (57KM), Daysland (74KM) or Provost (87KM).
*NEW* The Bow Island Emergency Department, remains CLOSED until 7am July 18th. Closure due to no physicians or locums available. During Closure EMS/Patients diverted to Taber or Medicine Hat (42KM). ED Unstaffed during Closure, 8 Acute care beds remain CLOSED.
*NEW* Boyle's Emergency Department continues to be CLOSED nightly from 8pm to 9am, due to no Physician coverage. EMS & Patients will be diverted to Athabasca (45KM), Westlock (110KM), Fort Sask (124KM) or YEG (145KM+). Acute Care Unit continues to be non operational.
*NEW* The Grimshaw/Berwyn & District Health Centre Emergency Department is CLOSED from 7pm to 9am daily. The closest ER's are Peace River (25 km), Fairview (58 km), Manning (83 km), McLennan (100 km), or Spirit River (112KM). Residents asked to call 911 for Emergencies.
*NEW* The Smoky Lake Emergency Department will be CLOSED from 4pm July 17th until 8am July 18th due to No Physicians or Locum coverage available. EMS & Patients will be diverted to Lamont (63KM), Fort Saskatchewan (82KM), Strathcona (109KM) or Royal Alex (117KM).
REMINDER - The Consort's Emergency Department Closure, has been EXTENDED to August 15/25. The ED has been closed for 1,061 days and counting! Hiring Priority is keeping the LTC open! EMS & Patients will continue to be diverted to Castor (85KM), Provost (81KM) or Oyen (102KM).
*NEW* Hinton Hospital Acute Care Unit, has had to close 3 of 21 beds due to the ongoing staffing issues of physicians. Next update is expected to be around July 21st, pending further ER Closure information.
*REMINDER* The Sacred Heart Community Health Centre (McLennan) has closed 5 Acute Care beds, as of July 4th due to staffing issues. 15 Beds remain open at this time, but may be closed if staffing changes. No updates expected until July 22nd.
*REMINDER* Beaverlodge Acute Care Unit has closed 3/18 beds as of June 27th, due to a significant staffing shortage on the unit. No updates are expected until Sept 1st as of the last notification.
*REMINDER* The Lac La Biche OBGYN Unit downgrade to Level 1A Only has been EXTENDED - Unit is unable to accept C-Section, High Risk Cases or Patients requiring Epidursals. Downgrade due to no Staffing until August 1st at 0800am. All Non Level 1A are being diverted by EMS to Athabasca (95KM) or Bonnyville (129KM) NICU diverted to YEG (215KM).
*REMINDER* St. Paul (St. Therese) Operating Rooms will be CLOSED from 5pm July 16 to 4pm July 20th. Closure due to No anesthesiologists & Physicians. All Emergent/Urgent Surgical, Endoscopy & High Risk OB, C-Section & Epidural's are diverted to Bonnyville (67KM), Camrose (104KM), or Ft. Sask (153KM) or Edmonton (200KM).
*REMINDER* Drumheller Hospital Operating Rooms CLOSED as of 3pm July 10th, until 8am July 21st to all Urgent & Emergency Cases. Diversion due to clinical staffing available for the hospital. Emergency & Urgent cases are being re-directed to Calgary Area Hospitals (135KM to 150KM).
*REMINDER* The Stettler Hospital OBGYN Unit is downgraded to Level 1A only until September 30th. All Non 1A Patients (High Risk/C-Section & Cases requiring epidurals) are diverted to Red Deer (81KM) via EMS. Downgrade in due to no anesthesiologists or physicians available.
*REMINDER* Edmonton's Royal Alex Orthopedic Unit will continue to see a 'Reduction of scheduled orthopedic surgical cases; reassignment of OR time to other surgical services'. This reduction of services has been further EXTENDED To January 5, 2026! Service reductions are due to AHS’s refusal to fund stipends for two hospitalists or accept multiple new contracts proposed.
REMINDER - OB/OR Services are also NOT available in High Level (OR CLOSED - LOW Risk Only / No Surgical), Vermilion (OR CLOSED / NO OB), Slave Lake & Westlock 946 days (OB Closed), Edmonton RAH (Surgical Ortho Downgrade), Sundre 1,927 Days, Three Hills 1,308 Days & Rimbey 1,395Days (OB Closed).
Measles Update;
12pm July 15th to 12pm July 16th - 17 NEW Cases - 4 North zone, 13 South Zone (795 Total Zone Cases) Total of 1,340 Cases in Alberta
Age Breakdown of Cases: <5 years old 391 Cases (+6) / 5-17yrs Old 575 Cases (+5) / 18-54yrs old 366 Cases (+6) / 55yrs old+ 6 Cases (No Change)
As of July 16th, 4(+1) measles patients have been admitted to Non ICU hospital units, with 1 measles patient in ICU. 5 Patients are now admitted.
REMINDER - AHS North Zone Measles Standing Alert - Issued for High Level Hospital, St. Therese Hospital (Fort Vermilion) & The Hamlet of La Crete. Cases in these locations are no longer reported - AHS North Zone Standing Alert Update
REMINDER - South Zone Measles Exposure Alerts are no longer provided by AHS. If Visiting, Traveling through or residing in the South Zone, you should be mindful of the high risk of contracting measles in the region.
AHS Measles Exposure Alert - July 16 - AHS Measles Alert - Grande Prairie Hospital & Fairview Emergency Department
AHS Measles Exposure Alert - July 16 - AHS Measles Alert - City of Airdrie
As always please call the Immunization Hotline - 1-844-944-3434 - To speak with a RN about symptoms prior to heading into a healthcare center, to book your immunization appointment or to check your Immunization records! After hours if you’re having symptoms that are not life threatening, please call 811 to speak with a RN before going into a healthcare center.
If you go into any emergency department, please notify the Triage nurse if you’re experiencing any Measles symptoms!
*NEW* Here's a look at the Urgent Care/Emergency wait times in Calgary Area (incl Both Children's Sites) & South Zone. *REMINDER* These times do NOT include EMS Crews waiting, nor those arriving requiring immediate medical intervention.
*NEW* Here's a look at the wait times in Red Deer, Edmonton, Fort McMurray and G.P *REMINDER* These times do NOT include EMS Crews waiting, nor those arriving requiring immediate medical intervention. Again take these times with a grain of salt! RED/ORANGE = High/Very high Waits!
Work has me back on nights, so next update will likely be Sunday Evening! Work for AHS or Covenant Care? Have a tip about EMS, Hospital Waits or Unit Closures? Feel free to send a DM on here, Twitter or BlueSky! All contact is confidential as always!
Until the next report, be safe, be kind and smile! You never know who’s day you may improve by just smiling as you pass by!
“I found that with depression, one of the most important things you can realize is that you’re not alone. You’re not the first to go through it, you’re not gonna be the last to go through it,” — Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson
