(rdnewsNOW file photo)

By rdnewsNOW staff

strained once again

Red Deer Regional Hospital over capacity again this week

Feb 5, 2020 | 10:49 AM

Capacity challenges at Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre (RDRHC) have led to Over Capacity Protocol (OCP) measures being instated at the facility this week.

On Monday, OCP level three measures (OCP 3) were put in place and remain in place as of Wednesday, according to Alberta Health Services (AHS) Central Zone communications director Heather Kipling. (NOTE: The OCP was lowered to level two Wednesday afternoon)

“Winter is traditionally a busy time of year for healthcare services, and it is not unusual to see an increased demand in emergency departments, including at Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre,” says Kipling, in a statement to rdnewsNOW. “We empathize with patients or family members who may have concerns about wait times in the Emergency Department. Likewise, we understand that waiting for admission can be frustrating.”

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Kipling says AHS is making every effort possible to reduce capacity pressures and admit patients as soon as possible.

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“Critically ill or injured patients will always be seen immediately, and those with non-urgent concerns may wait longer to be seen depending on resources,” she explains. “We enact such protocols throughout the hospital to improve access and ensure spaces are available for those who need it. OCP was developed to help our healthcare teams manage times of high demand when hospitals see a high number of seriously ill patients who require hospital care.”

Kipling says it is not an unusual occurrence for OCP measures to be initiated, but describes it as more of a process AHS uses to ease demand and improve access and streamline patient flow.

“As part of our ongoing work, the OCP process was further refined in June 2019, and OCP 3 has been enacted seven times since,” she exclaims. “We do have an OCP 4, which is the highest response level available in times of extreme demand. OCP 4 has never been activated at RDRHC.”

Kipling concludes, “We know that working in times of overcapacity can be stressful for our staff and we are tremendously grateful for their unwavering dedication to patients during these times.”