The Northern Lights Regional Health Centre Cancer Care Clinic has resumed services as of last week, and this means that the hospital is almost completely back to full operations. The only exception is some of the Allied Health programs which have not resumed yet. Returning residents can be assured that the medical services that they need will be offered in the area. The cancer care clinic was the last stage of the reopening of the hospital, and each unit in the facility has all beds open for patients. According to a recent news release by Alberta Health Services “there are no longer any health service-related concerns for residents returning to the city.” This was not the case when Fort McMurray first started allowing the area residents to return.

Northern Lights Regional Health Centre was reopened in specific stages as soon as the evacuation order was lifted for the area, but the cancer care clinic was not one of the first units to be opened. The first day that re-entry was allowed for residents the hospital had the emergency department open, as well as X-ray and CT diagnostic imaging. By June 13 residents could access the pediatric and inpatient psychiatric services, the operating rooms and ICU unit, the medical and surgical inpatient units, and obstetrical care. On June 22 dialysis was also available once more. All of the long term care patients at the facility have also already returned. Anyone interested in reopening updates can contact Allied Health by calling 780-788-1377, or they can find out more at ahs.ca/wildfire.