SASKATOON – Patients have had their appointments rescheduled after a collapsed pipe forced the Saskatoon Cancer Centre to shut off its water on Monday afternoon. Repair and excavation work has been underway but clinical teams, physicians and nurses at the centre have had to work closely together to prioritize which patients should be seen.
Clean-up was required in certain areas like radiation therapy so the centre partnered with Royal University Hospital (RUH) to mix chemotherapies at the hospital site as well as administer treatments to patients.
READ MORE: Moose Jaw residents concerned about paying for water main replacement
On Tuesday, care teams saw 60 patients of the 235 with scheduled appointments.
“Any patients that requires our immediate or urgent care is getting that urgent care,” said Corey Miller, vice president of care services with the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency.
“Our team has had the ability for physicians to see patients within space as well as treat patients within space and if there was anything critical we certainly also have the ability to admit into the Saskatoon Health Region at RUH, the 6100 is an oncology unit that we partner with the region on and we would have that accessible to us.”
Officials say it is unclear if the pipe will be fixed by Wednesday so patients will continue to be rescheduled. If that changes, patients will be contacted by the centre.
Miller also vowed to come up with strategies to get patients back on track and on schedule even if it means health care providers working extended hours or a Saturday.
Comments