Stollery Children's Hospital ward to temporarily act as adult emergency patient outflow
Anticipated high patient volumes due to Omicron case surges prompted a new ward in the Stollery Children's Hospital to become an adult emergency outflow centre temporarily.
In a memorandum last week, Alberta Health Services (AHS) says the children's hospital will maintain seven operating theatres instead of eight due to the temporary ward shift. The new adult treatment space was expected to be operational as early as Wednesday.
"As we continue to navigate pressures across the zone due to the COVID-19 Omicron virus, we need to ensure that we maintain patient access and flow across the continuum of care," said the memorandum, addressed to all Stollery staff and physicians.
"The proximity of this space to the emergency department is crucial in facilitating safe patient care," the letter said.
"If pediatric surgery volumes experience a surge, new options and solutions will be explored."
In a statement to CTV News, AHS said the adjustment would not result in pediatric surgery reductions currently being performed, but "a small number" of scheduled pediatric surgeries booked for February will be rescheduled.
"This change is part of the site's pandemic plan," said Blain Fairbairn, AHS spokesperson. "In these extraordinary times, AHS has had to make significant changes to the way we deliver healthcare.
"What has remained the same (is) anyone needing urgent, emergency healthcare will receive it."
While cases reported by Alberta Health and wastewater testing data indicates a downward trend, the province expects a hospitalization peak later this month.
The Kaye Edmonton Clinic is expected to open a pandemic response unit for patients needing "non-significant" care and symptom monitoring to open beds and spaces in hospitals and ICUs. A similar unit is to open in Calgary's South Health Campus as well.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
House admonishes ArriveCan contractor in rare parliamentary show of power
MPs enacted an extraordinary, rarely used parliamentary power on Wednesday, summonsing an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons where he was admonished publicly and forced to provide answers to the questions MPs said he'd previously evaded.
Leafs star Auston Matthews finishes season with 69 goals
Auston Matthews won't be joining the NHL's 70-goal club this season.
Trump lawyers say Stormy Daniels refused subpoena outside a Brooklyn bar, papers left 'at her feet'
Donald Trump's legal team says it tried serving Stormy Daniels a subpoena as she arrived for an event at a bar in Brooklyn last month, but the porn actor, who is expected to be a witness at the former president's criminal trial, refused to take it and walked away.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
Doug Ford calls on Ontario Speaker to reverse Queen's Park keffiyeh ban
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is calling on Speaker Ted Arnott to reverse a ban on keffiyehs at Queen's Park, describing the move as “needlessly” divisive.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Woman who pressured boyfriend to kill his ex in 2000s granted absences from prison
A woman who pressured her boyfriend into killing his teenage ex more than a decade ago will be allowed to leave prison for weeks at a time.
Customers disappointed after email listing $60K Tim Hortons prize sent in error
Several Tim Horton’s customers are feeling great disappointment after being told by the company that an email stating they won a boat worth nearly $60,000 was sent in error.