Vanderhoof, B.C. –  Anyone needing emergency health care  in the Vanderhoof region will have to  take a bit of a detour at the St John Hospital  as of  March 5th.

The emergency department is going to be relocated within the hospital to allow for the final  renovations to the  emergency department.  Life should return to normal  for the emergency department when  it moves back into its renovated space in about two months time.

People attending the emergency room can still do so through the main entrance of the St. John Hospital, and signage will direct you to the appropriate location.

It is expected there  may be some delays or minor disruptions    during this  final phase of renovations,  so  Northern Health is hoping the public will  take some pressure off the emergency department by only going there when  they are indeed  in need of urgent  or emergency care.

Northern Health’s emergency rooms tend to patients who have experienced a sudden and/or unusual change in their health. This includes, but isn’t limited to, breathing difficulties, severe bleeding or pain, broken bones, chest pain and eye injuries.

The Omineca Clinic will be making additional same day and short notice appointments available to accommodate individuals who require care that is not an emergency.

Patients who aren’t sure whether their condition would warrant an emergency room visit, or who need health advice can call HealthLink BC (8-1-1), or visit www.HealthLinkBC.ca for non-emergency health information from nurses, dietitians, and pharmacists 24 hours a day, seven days per week. Individuals who require emergency attention can call 9-1-1 for transport to the emergency department.

When the renovations at  St. John Hospital are complete,  patients arriving by ambulance will no longer have to be moved through  the public waiting area.  There will a  larger work station area for nurses and physicians and this will  provide more patient  privacy  while accessing electronic medical records and viewing diagnostic images.

The renovations will also increase the emergency department and trauma room spaces, to allow for better movement of staff and equipment. Renovations to laboratory, outpatient waiting and medical records departments will also take place.