A setback at the Red Lake Margaret Cochenour Memorial Hospital as the Emergency Department will be closed for 24 hours starting tomorrow.
A staff shortage is to blame and hospital staff wanted to give public notice.
The closure will be from 8 o’clock Saturday morning until 8 am Sunday.
Hospital management stresses they have been working hard to find physician coverage to avert this closure and are still trying to avoid the situation.
Suggestions on what your should do during the closure in the event of an emergency includes:
· People with emergent health problems should call 911 and request ambulance assistance. They may be transported to the nearest hospital Emergency Department available to offer treatment.
· For less emergent health problems, please call the Telehealth Line at 1-866-797-0000.
· You may choose to travel to the next closest Emergency Department, which is in Dryden, Ontario.
· Urgent care will be available at the Red Lake Family Health Team from 9 am to 12 pm on Saturday, March 26, 2022. Please call 807-727-2617, during that time, to book an appointment.
In a statement from the hospital:
“A pervasive lack of Health Human Resources in many professions has caused a serious strain on the delivery of care in Northwestern Ontario. This includes Physician shortages, which have been a threat to health care delivery for many years. The Hospital and the Red Lake Medical Associates continue to advocate for equitable access to necessary healthcare resources, and to seek long-term solutions to address human resource shortages in our area.”
