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AHS hopes temporary surgical diversions from Red Deer hospital will soon be lifted

Alberta Health Services is expressing some hope that the temporary surgical diversion protocol at Red Deer hospital will soon be lifted.
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Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre. (Advocate file photo.)

Alberta Health Services is expressing some hope that the temporary surgical diversion protocol at Red Deer hospital will soon be lifted.

As of Tuesday, 44 surgeries (urgent and some scheduled) were diverted to hospitals as far as Edmonton, Calgary, Rocky Mountain House and Drumheller.

Temporary surgery diversion began April 29 at Red Deer hospital, due to a shortage of clinical assistants who support the general surgery program, and other factors.

AHS stated in an email it is working hard to resume normal surgical services at the site. “The situation is being reviewed and evaluated regularly as AHS’s recruitment efforts for key positions like clinical assistants to support the general surgery program continue.

“Interviews have been underway in recent days and there are promising candidates. As soon as we can, the diversion will be lifted.”

Over this same period, some surgeries continued to be performed at Red Deer hospital. AHS reported that 82 general surgery cases (urgent and scheduled) were completed since April 29.

”The site continues to support emergency cases that cannot be transferred, as well as patients with scheduled procedures.”