Bonnyville Health Centre temporary reduction to inpatient capacity

Due to staffing shortages at the Bonnyville Health Centre, there will be a temporary reduction in services between July 25 – September 6, 2022.

Impacted services by this reduction include:

• A reduction of 6 acute care beds.
• Non-emergent surgeries. Surgical services will be limited to Monday to Friday. Patients will be contacted if their surgery will be affected, and emergent surgeries will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
• Provision of obstetric Obstetric service will not be available and patients will be contacted by their obstetrical team to discuss alternate options for care and delivery.

Other service areas, including the emergency department, remain open at Bonnyville Health Centre. We anticipate this reduction may impact patient flow and wait times throughout the facility.

“We would like to thank the community for their patience and apologize for any inconvenience this may cause as we navigate this extended staffing shortage,” says Shelly Franklin, Site Administrator, Bonnyville Health Centre.

“We acknowledge that this temporary service reduction will cause some concern for local residents, and we ask that you are patient with our staff during this challenging time.”

“We are grateful to the teams from Covenant Health and AHS, who are working tirelessly to find solutions to staffing shortages in the North Zone. Our top priority remains the safety of our patients and staff.”

Full surgical and obstetrical services and obstetrical services are expected to resume at Bonnyville Health Centre on September 7, 2022, based on current information.

Covenant Health is one of Canada’s largest Catholic healthcare organizations with over 15,000 physicians, employees and volunteers serving in 12 communities across Alberta. A major provider in Alberta’s integrated health system, Covenant Health works with Alberta Health Services and community partners to positively influence the health of Albertans through a broad range of programs and services.