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Red Deer hospital ICU full, patients being diverted

The site is currently providing care to 20 patients in the ICU
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The Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre is temporarily diverting new ICU patients to facilities in Calgary and Edmonton due to “a high volume of patients,” Alberta Health Services announced Thursday.

The hospital currently has 20 ICU beds, including eight new ICU spaces that have opened at the site since June. The site is currently providing care to 20 patients in the ICU.

“Patients with urgent needs will continue to receive urgent care. We continue to do all we can to ensure our patients receive the care they need, when they need it,” AHS said in a statement.

RELATED: EMS staff tend to senior for 24 hours in Red Deer ER, says family

No current ICU patients are being transferred out of zone.

“Provincially, our ICUs are at 86 per cent occupancy. At this time, we are not operating any surge ICU beds,” said AHS.

“Patients who require immediate care will continue to be seen at RDRHC. Those who can safely be transported to sites in Calgary or Edmonton will be diverted. We are grateful for the support and collaboration of colleagues in Calgary and Edmonton who are assisting RDRHC.”

Earlier this week, AHS said many urban hospitals, such as the facility in Red Deer, are extremely busy.

The emergency department at the Red Deer hospital is experiencing increased patient volumes through the emergency department, AHS said, adding it is also seeing sicker patients who need more complex care.

“This is happening in jurisdictions across Canada and around the world, as we see increased respiratory illness and more patients with more severe illness,” AHS said in a separate statement on Wednesday.



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