COLD LAKE - Six “transition beds” for people who are waiting for a space in a continuing care facility opened at the Cold Lake Healthcare Centre on Feb. 10.
The beds are intended as temporary care for people who are medically stable and no longer need to be in the acute care wards of the hospital, but aren’t able to go home. Care is provided 24/7 by licensed practical nurses, registered nurses, health care aides, doctors and other professionals.
According to Jordanna Lambert, a senior operating officer in the AHS North Zone, the transition beds “will improve patient flow in hospitals throughout the Bonnyville, Cold Lake, Elk Point and St. Paul area.”
MLA for Bonnyville-Cold Lake-St. Paul, Scott Cyr, called it a valuable addition to healthcare in the area.
“This investment means better patient flow, reduced hospital stays, and improved access to acute care for those who need it most. These beds will directly benefit patients who need extra recovery time before going home, require temporary care while waiting for a continuing care space, or would otherwise stay in acute care longer than necessary,” Cyr wrote in a social media post after touring the Cold Lake Healthcare Centre on Feb. 6.
According to the AHS Annual Report in 2023/24, there were 18,191 “Alternate Level of Care Total Discharges”, meaning province-wide there were over 18,000 days of acute care beds being occupied by a person who was waiting to be discharged “to a more appropriate care setting.”
