FILE PHOTO
Image Credit: Interior Health
February 21, 2023 - 8:32 AM
Nicola Valley Hospital in Merritt doesn't have enough physicians to run its emergency department for the next 24 hours.
The hospital's emergency department was closed as of 8 a.m. today, Feb. 21, and it's expected to reopen at 8 a.m. tomorrow, Feb. 22, according to Interior Health.
This is the second temporary closure in the past four days after Interior Health said it lacked enough nurses to keep the emergency department open overnight on Friday, Feb. 17. It's normally open 24/7.
The health authority said all inpatient services will continue as normal, but the nearest emergency care is in Kamloops at Royal Inland Hospital.
People with life-threatening emergency care should still call 911, and those who are unsure whether they should visit an emergency room can contact HealthLinkBC at 811, Interior Health said.
— This story was updated a 9:49 a.m., Feb. 21, 2023, to correct Interior Health's initial statement. The closure is due to a lack of physicians, but Interior Health's initial notice blamed a lack of nurses.
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