SURREY (NEWS1130) – The Emergency Department at Surrey Memorial Hospital remains closed, and will stay that was for at least two weeks.

It was closed yesterday morning after construction crews broke a water main, which flooded the ER. The closure forced the cancellations of over 100 non-urgent and elective surgeries.

Roy Thorpe-Dorward with Fraser Health can’t say who’s on the hook for the damage.
    
“That’s something that we’ll be looking over the next days, to determine exactly where responsibility lays and what the recovery costs will be. Certainly the cost will be significant for restoration. “
   
In the meantime, a 24/7 urgent care centre has been set up at the Jim Pattison Outpatient Care and Surgery Centre (JPOCSC).  The Province’s Mobile Medical Unit has also been set up at the JPOCSC parking lot and is ready to offer support as needed.  Patients who call 911 will continue to be transported by BC Ambulance Service to other hospitals. 

Thorpe-Dorward says restoration will not be done until everything has dried out. “The water was ankle to knee to deep in spots when the flood was occurring. The significant portion becomes the drying out pieces as well, which does take time.”

The water has been removed but it is also unclear if any equipment has been damaged, and what the insurance costs will be.

Diagnostics

Elective diagnostic procedures continue to be postponed at SMH and patients are being contacted directly.

In addition, the medical imaging area located on the first floor also continues to be closed until the flood’s impact can be fully assessed.  In the meantime, portable X-ray and ultrasound equipment are available for urgent cases.

Renal

Outpatient dialysis patients have been contacted and directed to other renal care services but are expected to resume within the next day or two.

Surgery

Surgery and other ambulatory procedures will incrementally resume and we will continue to increase these services over the next couple of days.

Facilities

Water has been reconnected at full pressure and is safe to drink and use.

Integrated response

Emergency volumes vary from site-to-site and we will continue to direct patients to where there is capacity while maintaining a constant dialogue with all of our sites.  Our emergency preparedness is being tested.