AHS has started redeploying staff to Alberta Children’s Hospital as respiratory viruses spike

Alberta Health Services said as of Friday morning it began redeploying staff to the Alberta Children’s Hospital in Calgary.

An influx of people with respiratory illnesses has been putting extra pressure on an already strapped health care system for weeks, specifically children’s hospitals like ACH and Stollery Children’s Hospital in Edmonton.

In addition to an earlier and more intense start to the flu season, Alberta hospitals are also seeing high volumes of RSV and COVID-19 cases.

“With respiratory viruses on the rise in the community, Alberta Children’s Hospital (ACH) is experiencing continued high volumes of acutely ill patients requiring care in our emergency department, pediatric intensive care and inpatient units,” an AHS spokesperson said Friday in said in an email to Global News.

“To help ensure that the right care is available for the young patients who require critical care and support, we have taken the difficult decision to temporarily suspend respite admissions at Rotary Flames House (RFH) and redeploy our staff to help care for patients to support at the hospital.”

The aim is to have all clients discharged from RFH by Tuesday 6 December, AHS said.

“All other services provided at the RFH, palliative, end-of-life care will continue and will be temporarily moved to the Alberta Children’s Hospital. Grief support will also continue.”

AHS said it would aim to resume normal services at RFH as soon as possible.

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Temporary space added at Alberta Children’s Hospital to support ER over capacity

On Nov. 26, AHS added a heated trailer to ACH as an additional waiting area to help ease the stress of patient influx.

On Nov. 25, both the Alberta Children’s Hospital in Calgary and Edmonton’s Stollery were at or above 100 percent inpatient capacity.

Respiratory disease season typically lasts eight to 12 weeks, says Dr. Christopher Sikora, Alberta Health Services medical officer of health for the Edmonton zone. But this is in “normal times”.

“Now we have COVID and flu and other respiratory diseases. I cannot predict (the cost) … nor the impact it will have on our hospital capacity.

“I do worry that we are not through this yet,” he said in mid-November.

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AHS says Albertans should put on masks as respiratory illnesses spread

All Alberta hospitals — not just children’s hospitals — are experiencing significant capacity pressures, putting pressure on the entire health system, AHS added Friday.

The increase in respiratory diseases has meant more emergency visits and hospital admissions.

Urban hospitals — in Edmonton, Calgary, Red Deer, Grande Prairie, Fort McMurray and Lethbridge — have been at or above 100 percent capacity since the summer, AHS spokeswoman Kerry Williamson said.

Both emergency departments and inpatient units were at or above 100 percent capacity for this “sustained period.”

“The hospitals are able to accommodate patients over 100 percent of normal capacity during peak times, including in the ICUs as needed to meet current needs and those we can expect in the near future,” Williamson said.

“Our care teams are doing everything they can to see and treat patients as efficiently as possible during this time.”

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