Emergency services in Port Alberni won’t be affected by staff shortages like some other island hospitals.
According to Island Health’s Executive Director for Community Hospitals Max Jajszczok (Yaz-chuk) all emergency room shifts at West Coast General Hospital have been filled for the summer, even as many doctors and nurses take time off for vacations.
He said West Coast General is a priority among smaller hospitals since there is no alternate facility nearby to accept patients if there’s a closure.
He said Island Health has been assisting staff from outside Port Alberni get around the highway shutdown by either flying them in, or bussing them through the Horne Lake route.
Last summer, the local emergency department came close to be closed some nights and weekends due to staffing, and the health authority worked with governments and supporting agencies to fill vacant shifts.
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