(March 12, 2010) Saskatoon – The Saskatoon Health Region is pleased to announce that the Wakaw Hospital Emergency Room (ER) will reopen on Monday, March 15, 2010 beginning at 8:00am. The ER will be fully operational on a full-time basis, 24 hours per day, 7 days a week.
The reopening of the ER was made possible by the recent recruitment of Drs. Paruk and Gafoor in October 2009. They have now fulfilled all the requirements of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan by successfully completing the CAPE (Clinicians Assessment and Professional Enhancement) evaluation required of international medical graduates seeking to practice medicine in Saskatchewan. These physicians, along with Dr. Campbell who was recruited in February 2009, will be available on-call to respond to the emergency needs of residents of Wakaw, Cudworth and surrounding municipalities.
“We are most pleased to now be able to offer this important service to the residents of this area. We know everyone will feel more at ease now that ER services will be available closer to home,” said Drs. Campbell, Paruk and Gafoor. “The Saskatoon Health Region and the physicians are working together to also secure the additional services of locum physicians in order to provide periodic relief. “It is important we support the local physicians to have an appropriate balance between their work and their personal lives,” said Wakaw Mayor Ed Kidd. “We have waited a long time for our ER to reopen and we want to make sure we support our physicians so that we can continue to have ER services over the long term. The best way to do that is to support them in both their work and their personal time away from work.”
“The Saskatoon Health Region is thrilled to be in a position to have secured sufficient physician resources in order to be able to reopen the Wakaw ER,” said Kelvin Fisher, Director of Rural Health and Planning for the Region. We have been working closely with the area municipalities in the recruitment of physicians and it is through our combined efforts that we have been successful.”
Residents are reminded to utilize the Wakaw Hospital ER for emergency purposes only. Reasons to visit the ER may include chest pain, difficulty breathing, sudden/severe headache, frequent vomiting and/or diarrhea, persistent/severe abdominal pain, broken limbs related to an injury, sudden/profuse bleeding or large cuts/wounds. Routine medical care needs should be addressed by scheduling an appointment at the Wakaw Medical Clinic.
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For more information:
James Winkel
Corporate and Public Affairs Adviser
Saskatoon Health Region
306-655-3253
Saskatoon Health Region
“Healthiest people, healthiest communities, exceptional service.”
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