Eastern Townships hospital emergency room closed overnight for three days due to staff shortages

The Val des Sources Hospital emergency department will be closed overnight through the summer. (CIUSSS de l'Estrie-CHUS)

The emergency department at Val-des-Sources Hospital in the Eastern Townships will be closed evening and night due to staff shortages for three days, from July 20 to July 23.

The Estrie health and social services centre (CIUSSS de l'Estrie-CHUS) made the announcement in a news release on Friday.

It states that the closure is temporary and is due to a shortage of doctors to fill summer shifts. It adds that other night closures are possible between now and the end of the summer.

"More specifically, Val-des-Sources Hospital's emergency department will be open between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. from July 20 to July 23, 2024. Despite all the steps taken and all the efforts made, the evening and night shifts for doctors have not been filled," the CIUSSS de l'Estrie-CHUS explained.

From 6 p.m. until 9 a.m. the following day, the public is instructed to go to another emergency.

Fleurimont Hospital in Sherbrooke is around 50 kilometres from Val-des-Sources Hospital, and the Memphrémagog Hospital Centre in Magog is 75 km. away.

The CIUSSS de l'Estrie-CHUS has indicated that measures have been put in place to ensure public safety.

People can go to the emergency department only for cases requiring immediate attention, such as breathing problems, severe abdominal or chest pain, major trauma or heavy blood loss.

The Val-des-Sources Hospital Emergency Department will continue its normal activities once the summer holidays are over.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on July 12, 2024.