Mission Memorial Hospital’s emergency department will be closed for 15 hours starting this Sunday at 5 p.m. due to staffing challenges, according to Fraser Health.
During the temporary closure, existing patients in the emergency department will be attended to by physicians before 11:00 p.m., with emergency-trained nurses remaining on-site to provide basic care and assist in redirecting or transferring patients to nearby hospitals, ensuring uninterrupted services for other hospital departments.
Fraser Health advises individuals with non-urgent medical needs to familiarize themselves with alternative non-emergency healthcare options, as longer wait times may be experienced in other emergency rooms due to the temporary closure at Mission Memorial Hospital.
Efforts are being made by the health authority to address physician staffing shortages to maintain the continuity of services. Last month, the hospital had an overnight closure lasting a week, restricting ER admissions to specific hours.
The Lower Mainland has seen a rise in emergency department closures, with approximately 250 temporary closures reported in the previous year. Despite concerns, a motion by Delta City Council to declare a public health emergency in response to the closures was denied in October.