Home / Health / 100 Mile House ER Closure: 89 Hours This Week
100 Mile House ER Closure: 89 Hours This Week
18 Jul
Summary
- The hospital will be closed for 89 hours over five days through the weekend and into next week.
- Closures have impacted the emergency department 16 times since January, and this latest will nearly double it.
- Staffing shortages are exacerbated by summer vacations and a vacant position that has remained unfilled for over a year.
The emergency department at 100 Mile House District General Hospital will experience an extensive closure, totaling 89 hours across five days. The disruptions span from Thursday through next Tuesday, with significant periods of unavailability. This latest shutdown brings the total number of emergency department closures to approximately 30 since the beginning of the year.
Interior Health attributes the closures to staffing challenges, particularly during the summer months due to vacations and broader workforce shortages. A critical vacant position in the emergency department has remained unfilled for over a year. The mayor noted that the town's population doubles in the summer, increasing demand on services.
Residents needing life-threatening emergency care are advised to call 911, while others can access services at Cariboo Memorial Hospital in Williams Lake. Concerns have been raised by community members regarding the impact of these frequent closures on healthcare access, especially with increased summer activity and potential health risks from wildfire smoke.
