Sylvan Lake Advanced Ambulatory Care Service will be closed until 3 p.m. today due to a gap in physician coverage.
Alberta Health Services (AHS) said the facility will resume operations later today, from 3 p.m. until 10 p.m.
On July 5, the service will resume normal hours of operations, from 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.
AHS said the service cannot operate without a physician onsite, and options to secure alternative coverage have been exhausted. This temporary closure is a last resort.
“Patients arriving at the Community Health Centre for care from the Advanced Ambulatory Care Service during this time will be redirected to other care options as appropriate. These options include returning later in the day when the service resumes, booking an appointment with a family doctor, or calling Health Link at 811 for medical information and advice,” said AHS in a statement.
Patients can also access medical care from facilities in nearby communities, including Rocky Mountain House and Red Deer.
Scheduled appointments with other health services — including Public Health, laboratory and Addiction and Mental Health – at the Sylvan Lake Community Health Centre are not impacted by the temporary closure of the Advanced Ambulatory Care Service.
Sylvan Lake Advanced Ambulatory Care Service offers diagnosis and treatment of urgent but non-life-threatening conditions, seven days a week. These include sudden illness or injury that could be cared for in a doctor’s office but requires immediate attention.
Patients requiring emergency medical care are to call 911.