The Airdrie Community Health Centre’s urgent care centre will temporarily close overnight this weekend.
The urgent care unit will be temporarily closed from 10 p.m. Friday until 7 a.m. Saturday.
It will also be closed from 10 p.m. on Saturday until 7 a.m. Sunday, when it will resume 24-hour operations.
In a statement on Friday afternoon, Alberta Health Services said the closures are due to a shortage in physician coverage.
“New patients will not be admitted after 8 p.m. and those remaining in the department at that time will be treated and discharged according to their needs,” the statement read.
“Nursing staff will remain in the UCC overnight to assess and triage any walk-in patients who present during the temporary closures.”
Patients will be referred to emergency departments in surrounding communities as appropriate during the closures, AHS said. Those with less urgent needs may be referred to medical clinics for walk-in appointments on Monday.
“This closure is a temporary measure taken as a last resort. Alberta Health Services is working hard to ensure local residents continue to have access to the care they need during this time, and to keep all other services at the site operating as normal,” AHS said.