The emergency department was closed overnight at the Hinton Health Centre due to a sudden and unexpected gap in staff coverage.
The closure lasted from May 5 until May 6 at 7 a.m.
During this time, EMS was re-routed to surrounding facilities, including Jasper and Edson, and any patient that presents to the Hinton site was referred to emergency departments in surrounding communities.
Alberta Health Services said EMS was available to transport patients to other facilities depending on their condition.
All other services at the site continued to operate as normal throughout the overnight ED closure, and inpatient units were not affected.
“We are thankful for the support of surrounding healthcare centres and medical staff and would like to thank the community for their patience and understanding during this time,” Alberta Health Services stated in a news release.
Last month, Hinton Healthcare Centre was unable to provide obstetrical services for three days due to a lack of obstetrical-trained nursing staff.
