I have heard the concerns raised by residents regarding a potential closure of the Sundre Hospital and Care Centre. I want to provide some information to help ease the concerns — and in some cases confusion — that may have arisen.
Alberta Health Services (AHS) has absolutely no plan on closing the hospital — any suggestion otherwise is incorrect.
In addition, no changes have been made to the hospital’s services or hours following the review — the hospital continues to offer low-risk obstetrics services and the hospital’s emergency department continues to operate 24-7.
The Sundre Hospital and Care Centre provides care for not only the town and surrounding area, but also many visitors to the region, particularly during the summer months. It has been an important part of the community for the last five decades and we are proud of the services and supports physicians and staff provide to patients and clients every day.
While rural hospitals are one focus of the recently released AHS review, AHS and the minister of health have made it extremely clear that the closure of hospitals is off the table.
The AHS review includes 57 recommendations and additional opportunities for AHS to consider. The goal of the report’s recommendations is to ensure that AHS continues to be fiscally responsible and sustainable now and into the future.
AHS is in the process of developing a three-year implementation plan stemming from the AHS review, which we will provide to the health minister by mid-May.
Our Enhancing Care in the Community strategy, which has increased funding to home care locally and across the province, is one example of the work we are doing to meet the health needs of Albertans in their homes and communities outside of acute, hospital-based care.
In other areas, we know there is much planning to unfold over the longer term, which will be reflected in the implementation plan.
As we work to draft that plan, we will work closely with communities regarding the review’s recommendations. We will ensure that patient care is at the forefront of any plans, and we will involve input from local front-line health-care teams, including staff and physicians at the hospital, and our community partners.
Allan Sinclair,
Alberta Health Services senior operating officer for Central Zone – South
