Community update from AHS

Good day,

As promised at the January 12 community conversation regarding the temporary closure of the Big Country Hospital in Oyen, we would like to provide the community with this update.

Hospital Status

We are very pleased to share with you that we have secured on-site agency nurse coverage, and that effective Friday, April 7 the Big Country emergency department (ED) and five of the 10 acute care beds will return to 24-hour services.   We are grateful to our staff at the Big Country Hospital and the five agency nurses who joined the facility so that we can provide care to those who need it, when and where they need it. Thank you to staff who have expressed interest in casual and regular positions.  Our ability to maintain services is reliant on the recruitment of permanent positions and/or continued support from agency nurses.

A special thank you to local physicians, EMS paramedics and surrounding facilities for their support with regards to patient transport and care while the ED had limited hours.

Recruitment efforts

We are still actively recruiting permanent RN and LPN positions for acute care, ED and long-term care. For more information on these positions, please visit the AHS Careers webpage.

Once permanent staff have been secured, we will be able to safely open the remaining five acute care beds to service.

New X-ray equipment

On February 9, Big Country Hospital began an upgrade of its X-ray equipment. We are happy to announce that the project is complete and diagnostic imagining at the facility will be fully operational on April 10. The new, digital equipment will increase efficiency by allowing the technologist to see the images right away. Thank you for your patience and cooperation during this time.  

Relationship with the community

Since the temporary closure was announced in January, we have been regularly communicating with the Town of Oyen, the Special Areas and the MD of Acadia #34. We greatly appreciate their partnership and continued support.  Please be assured that we will continue to foster these important relationships.   Thank you again for your continued commitment to healthcare.

As always, please feel free to connect with us at any time via email at Community.Engagement@ahs.ca.

Sincerely,
Linda Iwasiw, Chief Zone Officer, South Zone
Dr. Aaron Low, Zone Medical Director, South Zone