Vol. 131 No.

41 Friday, December 20, 2013

www.minnedosatribune.com
90 cents + tax
Weacknowledgethe
nancial support of the
Government of Canada
throughthe
CanadaPeriodical Fund
of theDepartment of
CanadianHeritage.
The Mlnnedosa Trlbune offlce wlll close for ChrlsImas holldas aI 12 noon on
Frlda, December 2Ih and remaln closed unIll 9 a.m. Frlda, Januar 3rd.
There wlll be no paper publlshed
December 27Ih and Januar 3rd.
Our flrsI edlIlon of Ihe new ear wlll be Frlda, Januar 1Ih, 214.
By JENNIFER PAIGE
D
ue to a lack of hospital staf, Minnedosa and sur-
rounding area will be without emergency room ser-
vices for a number of days throughout the holiday season
this year.
Prairie Mountain Health recently dispensed a letter
informing residents that the emergency room and acute
care services in the community will be temporarily sus-
pended due to physician resource shortages.
From Saturday, December 28th at 8 a.m. until Mon-
day, December 30th at 8 a.m. and again from Saturday,
January 4th at 8 a.m. until Monday, January 6th at 8 a.m.
there will be no emergency room or acute care services at
the Minnedosa Health Centre.
Te practicing physicians in Minnedosa are doing
everything possible to try and provide 24/7 coverage, but
they are well-below full complement. Tere may also be
instances in the New Year where not all services can be
sustained given the current resource base, explained
Penny Gilson, CEO of Prairie Mountain Health.
Prairie Mountain Health will do everything pos-
sible, in working collaboratively with the local physicians
and staf to keep as many services available as safely as
possible. It needs to be noted that there are also consid-
erable nursing vacancies in Minnedosa and the region is
monitoring that situation closely as well. Te region ap-
preciates the eforts of all the Minnedosa physicians and
staf to provide as much service as possible.
During the times of suspended emergency services,
individuals that require emergency care are asked to call
the Minnedosa Health Centre to determine the nearest
open emergency room. Prairie Mountain Health EMS
services will continue to provide emergency response
and residents requiring service will be transported to the
nearest open emergency department.
If it is a true emergency people are encouraged to
call 911 and the ambulance will transport them to the
closest open emergency department with an on-call phy-
sician and will provide care while en-route to that loca-
tionthis is the quickest access to needed care. In other
instances, residents location and the type of service they
require will determine where they are directed. In addi-
tion to Brandon and Dauphin, there is also the Neepawa
Health Centre in close proximity to Minnedosa, Gilson
continued.
Continued on Page 5
Local Emergency Room
Services Suspended
over Holidays
Photos by Jennifer Paige
Skiing in a
Winter Wonderland
Grade seven and eight students from Tanners
Crossing School visited Ski Valley on Wednesday,
December 18th as part of the schools Healthy Active
Lifestyles Project. Te students spent the day catching
some air and a few snowfakes on the hills.
Minnedosas downhill skiing destination is open
for another season. Ski Valley, located 7 kms north of
Minnedosa, ofers downhill ski enthusiasts nine runs at
various levels of dif culty from beginners to advanced.
Tis winter, be sure to spend some time enjoying the
slopes right here at home at Ski Valley. Its a great place
to get some enjoyable outdoor winter physical activity.