ER at Saskatoon City Hospital to close 4.5 hours early starting Monday

The Emergency Department at Saskatoon City Hospital will close 4.5 hours early starting Monday due to an ongoing shortage of doctors.

It’s the fifth week in a row that the reduced hours at the hospital’s emergency department have been extended.

In a release sent Friday afternoon, the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) said the reduced hours will continue until June 27.

The City Hospital’s emergency department is normally open from 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Since at least Feb. 15, the department has been closing over two hours earlier.

Starting Monday, the emergency department will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.

Patients requiring emergency services outside of these hours are advised to visit either the Royal University Hospital Emergency Department or the St. Paul’s Hospital Emergency Department.

“This is a temporary measure as Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) continues to take action to ensure consistent access to health-care services. By redeploying physician resources to the other Saskatoon emergency departments and the planned addition of 109 acute care beds at Saskatoon City Hospital, we are ensuring patients receive the best possible care,” SHA said in the release.

Last week, the Government of Saskatchewan announced a $15 million investment to ease capacity issues at Saskatoon City Hospital. The funding will support the addition of 109 acute care beds and the hiring of over 500 staff and physicians over the next 12 to 16 months.