UPDATE: Interior Health says the emergency department at South Okanagan General Hospital in Oliver will only be closed for 24 hours instead of 48.
On Thursday, the health agency said due to unexpected limited physician availability, the emergency department was to be closed from 8 a.m. on Friday to 8 a.m. on Sunday.
However, on Friday afternoon, Interior Health said emergency services will be available on Saturday at 8 a.m.
“Interior Health is committed to emergency services in Oliver, and will continuously work to secure coverage in the event of any service interruptions,” it said.
“We are pleased to have secured physician coverage for this weekend.”
ORIGINAL STORY:
The emergency department at South Okanagan General Hospital in Oliver will undergo a lengthy closure this weekend.
On Thursday afternoon, Interior Health said emergency services at the hospital will be unavailable from Friday morning to Sunday morning.
According to the health agency, the 48-hour closure, which starts at 8 a.m. on Sept. 1 and ends at 8 a.m. on Sept. 3, is due to unexpected limited physician availability.
The hospital’s emergency department is normally open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
“During this time, all other inpatient services will continue as normal at South Okanagan General Hospital,” said Interior Health.
It added that area residents who need life-threatening emergency care should call 911 for transport to the nearest available and appropriate facility.
This month, emergency services at South Okanagan General Hospital were unavailable on Aug. 14-15 and 22 due to limited physician availability. Residents were told that emergency care could be accessed in Penticton.
This week, Interior Health issued temporary closure alerts for other areas.
The emergency department at Arrow Lakes Hospital in Nakusp will be unavailable on Thursday, Aug. 31, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
And in Nakusp, the Slocan Community Health Centre in New Denver was slated to undergo temporary emergency department changes due to limited nursing availability.