Interior Health closing rural ERs, rescheduling surgeries to cope with staff shortage

Interior Health says staff shortages due to the Omicron variant of COVID-19 is forcing the authority to reduce numerous services throughout the region.

Across the region, all non-urgent surgeries are being rescheduled, according to an Interior Health press release. The health authority is also reducing services to some outpatient services, some primary care services, adult day programs and some non-urgent home health services.

In order to stabilize emergency departments in Clearwater, Invermere and Lillooet, inpatient services will be closed in those communities. Clearwater and Lillooet both closed all six inpatient beds and Invermere closed all eight of its beds.

To stabilize daytime services at the Ashcroft Community Health Centre and the Slocan Community Health Centre in New Denver, there will be a reduction in overnight hours.

Emergency department hours in Ashcroft went from being open all weekend to just Fridays between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m., and then 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. The next closest place for emergency medical care is 97 kilometres away at the Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops.

Slocan’s emergency department has gone from being open 24 hours to 12 hours, and the new schedule is 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The next closest place for care is 48 km away at the Arrow Lakes Hospital in Nakusp.

The Barriere and District Health Centre will be closing so that staff can be redeployed to nearby emergency departments. Nearby hospitals include the Dr. Helmcken Memorial Hospital and Health Centre in Clearwater which is 60 km away, or 64 km to the Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops.

READ MORE: COVID-19 outbreaks close six operating rooms in Kamloops

And some primary care services like adult day programs and non-urgent home health services will be reduced, though changes will vary by community.

“As we manage the Omicron-driven COVID-19 staffing impacts on the health system, Interior Health is proactively identifying services to adjust and relocate in order to maintain safe patient care,” Susan Brown, Interior Health president and CEO, said in the release. “We will resume normal operations in impacted communities as soon as possible and in the meantime, we are temporarily reassigning and redeploying staff to sustain essential services throughout the region.”

Most of the people impacted are patients scheduled for appointments and they will be contacted directly.

“Current COVID-19 pressures have lead to a staffing crisis that requires temporary emergency measures to maintain access to essential services that are relied on regionally,” Brown said. “We regret the impacts these service adjustments may cause and will be contacting patients, clients and residents directly to address care needs wherever possible.”

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