Service Interruptions

Examples of service interruptions include an emergency department needing to temporarily redirect patients to another facility (sometimes referred to as a ‘diversion’), or changes to a laboratory, medical imaging department or medical clinic’s hours of operation.

While service interruptions can be due to ongoing shortages of skilled staff across the health sector, they can also have other causes; from power outages to unexpected or unavoidable staff absences, to supply chain issues, to (especially in the case of emergency departments) a sudden increase in patients with emergency care needs that temporarily puts a facility and its staff at maximum capacity.

Service interruptions occur as a last resort when all avenues for safe staffing (physicians or nursing) are exhausted. We will continue to do everything we can to prevent service interruptions, but there are times when they cannot be avoided.

IH works proactively to fill vacant positions right up until the shift is scheduled to start. Scheduling is completed several weeks or months in advance. In instances where community staff or our medical administration cannot initially fill all shifts, we immediately look to find coverage to fill those gaps. The majority of gaps are filled, effectively preventing the need for most closures.

IH continues to explore and implement new measures to stabilize emergency department services across the Interior region. In each situation, we consider all available options, including:

• Determining if overtime, vacation callbacks or shift extensions are options (in accordance with collective agreements we have with unionized staff);
• Voluntary redeployments from other sites, positions or departments; and
• Bringing in external nursing and locum physicians.

IH has short, medium and long-term strategies underway to stabilize staffing levels across the Interior region and we are actively recruiting for new physicians and staff.

People in the community who need life-threatening emergency care (i.e., chest pains, difficulty breathing, severe bleeding) should always call 9-1-1 for transport to the nearest available and appropriate facility. 

All service interruptions are shared with local media.

To receive notifications about service interruptions directly to your email inbox, Click Here and select the “News & Alerts” checkbox to subscribe to IH updates.

Information on the closest facility will be included on Interior Health’s website on the Media Centre & Alerts page. You can also find the most up-to-date information on our social media channels (Facebook and X).

While our priority is to have services available in the community, there are virtual options available to all BC residents.

In less urgent cases, it is important to connect with a care provider. Patients with a family physician can contact their office for advice, or access virtual care.

HealthLink BC virtual physicians are available to 8-1-1 callers after assessment by one of our registered nurses. If the nurse determines that further medical assessment by a doctor would help you get the best advice on when and where you should seek care, they may refer you to your family doctor or nurse practitioner, a health provider in your community, or one of our virtual physicians.

Anyone unsure whether an emergency room visit is warranted can call HealthLink BC at 8-1-1 or visit HealthLinkBC.ca.

If you are transferred to another hospital, the Health Connections bus may be an option. This service is for non-emergency, independent patients, such as those going to specialists or diagnostic appointments, but patients can also access it to return home from another hospital.

The cost is $5 per trip. Medical passengers are prioritized for accessing this service. To book a trip, patients can call 1-855-359-3935 two business days in advance.

Please discuss travel prior to your discharge with a nurse or social worker, who can help with other travel supports or options.