The emergency department (ED) at the Ste. Anne Hospital will resume 24-hour service, seven days a week, said Jane Curtis, CEO of Southern Health-Santé Sud.
“The ED at Ste. Anne Hospital is ready to provide around-the-clock medical services when people need access to life-saving care,” said Curtis. “The full complement of trained physicians with the skills required to maintain the emergency department 24-hours a day will improve the accessibility of emergency medical care to the community and surrounding area.”
ED hours at Ste. Anne Hospital were reduced to 12 hours per day in October 2018 when physician capacity fell below the number needed to maintain ED services. Services were available from 8am to 8pm to accommodate the busiest times when services are needed. Patients that needed to go to the ED during the late evening or overnight had the option of going to the Bethesda Regional Health Centre ED in Steinbach.
The hospital ED is scheduled to resume 24/7 services on January 27 with a full staff of seven physicians.
Implementing 24-hour ED services at Ste. Anne Hospital involved more than hiring physicians and nurses. The planning process involved reviewing emergency department processes and policies to ensure the program will deliver timely and high-quality medical care.
Southern Health-Santé Sud says that the fastest way to get help for a medical emergency is to call 911. If you are unsure whether or not you should visit a hospital emergency department, you can call Health Links – Info Santé at 1-888-315-9257 toll-free.
