Elk Point Healthcare Centre faces extended closures amid physician shortage

The Elk Point Healthcare Centre emergency department will be without on-site physician coverage from 8 am on Friday, June 7 until 8 am on Saturday, June 8, due to ongoing challenges in securing physician coverage, AHS announced. This disruption continues a series of closures that have affected the ER all week.  

Despite the absence of on-site physicians, nursing staff will remain available to provide triage, assessments, and referrals to alternative emergency departments in nearby communities as necessary.  

AHS urges residents to call 911 for medical emergencies, assuring that EMS will be available and will coordinate with the local healthcare center to maintain emergency service access. For non-emergency health-related inquiries, residents are encouraged to contact Health Link at 811, which operates 24/7. 

Efforts to resolve the coverage issue are ongoing, and AHS states that these disruptions are temporary. If physician coverage is secured, the closures may be cancelled. The community is reassured that AHS is working diligently to ensure that residents have continuous access to necessary medical care.