AHS Postponing more Surgeries due to COVID-19

****Alberta Health Services Press Release****

September 3, 2021                                                                               

The rise in COVID-19 cases in the community and the resulting demand on hospital resources means AHS must take further immediate steps to create additional ICU capacity.

AHS is postponing scheduled surgeries and procedures across all zones. All patients who are affected will be contacted directly by AHS.

  • In the North Zone, surgical postponements of up to 60 per cent are expected next week.  
  • In the Edmonton Zone, postponements of scheduled surgeries and procedures will increase to up to 50 percent.
  • Central Zone will be postponing up to 40 percent of endoscopy procedures and up to 30 per cent of scheduled surgeries.
  • Calgary Zone and South Zone are postponing up to 30 percent of scheduled surgeries, endoscopy and outpatient visits.

AHS will maintain urgent and emergent procedures, as well as prioritized cancer surgeries.

AHS is working to open and staff additional acute care and ICU beds across the province as quickly as possible.

These surgical postponements will help free up space in our hospitals for patients who need a higher level of care, and support redeployment of frontline staff and resources to areas of greatest need. AHS is also asking all part-time and casual staff who are available to take extra shifts to please do so. Staffing has become the critical issue in this wave of the pandemic.

We acknowledge that our frontline physicians and staff are tired after 19 months of pandemic response. We are extremely grateful for everything they have done for Albertans, and we regret asking them to go above and beyond again.

This situation is serious, and we would like to remind all Albertans that we need their help in reducing the transmission of COVID-19 in the community, which in turn will reduce strain on the healthcare system.

We strongly urge all eligible Albertans to get immunized as quickly as possible, which is your best defence against a severe outcome from COVID-19.