Emergency measures considered as Alberta Children's Hospital struggles to keep up with patients
Alberta Health Services (AHS) is eyeing emergency provisions to deal with a surge of patients inside the Alberta Children's Hospital.
Those measures would help redeploy resources and bring more staffing hours to the hospital, which is experiencing long wait times and a rush of new patients.
AHS met with health unions this week to discuss the move.
A statement says the "measures are taken only as a last but necessary step to ensure we can continue to provide quality care to our patients." They'd help redeploy resources and could force mandatory overtime and cut staff vacation hours.
It could become necessary as thousands of Albertan children fight COVID-19, RSV and influenza.
Recent reports say ER wait times at the hospital have been as high as 18 hours this month.
"What it means for Alberta's most vulnerable and sick is that when they go to seek health care, unfortunately, there may not be the resources," said Bobby-Joe Borodey with the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees. "You're going to see wait times up, you're going to see staff that are ill and not being able to come into work because they are stressed and they are getting sick."
The Alberta Children's Hospital has seen a recent increase in its daily emergency visits of 20 to 30 per cent.
On Friday, that facility and the Stollery Children's Hospital in Edmonton were both at or above 100 per cent inpatient capacity.
WORKING TO EXPAND CAPACITY
AHS says a fast-track area has been activated inside the hospital.
It'll aim to expedite treatment for patients with less serious conditions, which could get more kids in and out the door.
It could also free up staff to see to those who are critically sick or injured.
- Red Deer ICU full, new patients being diverted to Edmonton or Calgary: AHS
- Stollery hits capacity during 'unprecedented' surge in respiratory illnesses
The hospital will eventually receive other changes to help, though firm dates for their implementation have yet to be set.
They include a new six-bed, 24-hour-a-day observation unit and discharge areas in the inpatient units.
POLITICAL POWER?
Alberta's new Premier wants to reform the entire system and has identified EMS and ER wait times as priorities.
Danielle Smith fired the AHS board earlier this month and brought in Dr. John Cowell as official administrator. She's confident he can accelerate system changes.
The opposition isn't optimistic.
- 'Warped stance on COVID': Fired Alberta Health Services board member calls out Smith
- AHS board dismantling just a 'new round of chaos,' no real solutions: NDP
"We are seeing pressures across most jurisdictions in Canada, but here in Alberta, it has been made so much worse by decisions of this government," NDP Health Critic David Shepherd told CTV News. "They repeatedly chose to act last and act least. So certainly, there are systematic problems, but they have been made far worse and are going to take some time to turn around."
The NDP wants to see more emphasis put on the province's relationship with workers. Shepherd says without steady leadership, the wait time issues could only get worse as staff leave the province or decide to take jobs elsewhere.
The Health Minister was not available for an interview.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.