Emergency room hours expand in Broadview

February 29, 2024, 2:08 pm

The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) is pleased to advise residents of Broadview and area that emergency room (ER) access at the Broadview Union Hospital will be expanded four hours per day, Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., effective Monday, March 4, 2024.

During these hours, local physicians will cover the ER from 7 a.m. – 4 p.m. with virtual physician coverage from 4 p.m. – 11 p.m. ER services will not be available outside of those hours on weekdays, nor on weekends or statutory holidays.

This is the second time hours have expanded in the emergency department since it reopened in May of 2022, after a nearly three-year closure. In January 2024, hours at the ER were initially increased through the introduction of the virtual physician program, which was made possible by recent successful recruitment of combined laboratory and x-ray technologists and registered nurses to the facility.

Due to the successful introduction of the virtual physician program and continued recruitment success, the Broadview Union Hospital is able to expand access to emergency health services by four additional hours per day, Monday to Friday, from the current hours of 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Using the existing infrastructure of HealthLine 811, the virtual physician program provides nursing staff with remote access to a physician when local physicians are not available to provide emergency department coverage. All patients are assessed, triaged and receive treatment based on their care needs. In addition to Broadview, the virtual physician program has been successfully launched in Porcupine Plain, Oxbow and Davidson.

The virtual physician program helps to maintain emergency services in the community while the SHA continues to address some of the barriers to resuming 24/7 ER access in Broadview, including stabilizing physician, nursing, or other health human resources.

Health-care recruitment and retention continues to be a priority for the SHA and the Government of Saskatchewan. 

Individuals requiring emergency services should call 9-1-1. Non-urgent health-related questions may be directed to the provincial HealthLine 24/7 by calling 8-1-1.