The Emergency Department at the University of Alberta Hospital is one of the busiest in Canada. It’s northern Alberta’s only Level One Trauma Centre and operates at or above 100% capacity on a daily basis.
Three years ago, with pressure mounting from lengthy patient wait times and the need to get delayed ambulance crews back on the road, the hospital trialed a Rapid Transfer Unit within the Emergency Department to get treatment underway before beds become available.
That pilot project is now being developed as a permanent fixture and substantial fundraising is needed to fully equip the innovative unit. This year's Festival of Trees has a target of raising more than a million dollars to fund the program.
