Due to a temporary nursing shortage, the Sylvan Lake Advanced Ambulatory Care Service (SLAACS) will have to close early Wednesday night.   

The Service will close at 6 p.m. tonight and will reopen tomorrow morning, April 20, for its regular hours of operation from 7:30 a.m. until 10 p.m.  

This closure is a temporary measure taken as a last resort after options for securing alternative coverage have been exhausted.  

Patients arriving at the Sylvan Lake Community Health Centre to receive care at the Advanced Ambulatory Care Service during the closure will be redirected to other available care options as appropriate to their needs.  

These options include returning when the service resumes tomorrow, booking an appointment with a family doctor, or calling Health Link at 811 for medical information and advice.  

Patients can also access medical care for urgent health concerns from facilities in nearby communities, including Innisfail, Red Deer and Rocky Mountain House.  

SLAACS offers diagnosis and treatment of urgent but non-life-threatening conditions. Examples of urgent needs include minor cuts or burns, muscle and joint strains, bone fractures, and fever in young children. SLAACS is not for life-threatening emergencies such as heart attack, signs/symptoms of stroke, head trauma, seizures etc.  

Patients requiring emergency medical care should call 911.