Local News
City could debt-finance gas wells
By COLLIN GALLANT on April 18th, 2020
cgallant@medicinehatnews.com@CollinGallant City hall officials will recommend debt-financing to pay for abandoning most of the city’s low-production gas wells over the next three years, the News has learned. Last fall, the 110-year-old petroleum production company announced it could no longer sustain deeply depressed prices for natural gas and would close in and reclaim about 2,000 money-losing ... Read More »
Be the first to comment!Siksika reports nearly 100 COVID-19 tests
By Medicine Hat News on April 18th, 2020
The Siksika Nation has tested 99 individuals for COVID-19, and reports zero positive results with 85 per cent of the results back, the reserve’s health authority announced Friday. Siksika Health Services stated that it has investigated a total of 115 individual cases of those who presented symptoms of the respiratory diseases and has closed 101. ... Read More »
Be the first to comment!Drug rationing leads to spike in dispensing fees for some
By GILLIAN SLADE on April 18th, 2020
gslade@medicinehatnews.com@MHNGillianSlade Alberta Health’s decision last month that pharmacists renew prescriptions for only one month, rather than three, has resulted in more dispensing fees particularly for those without private insurance. Blue Cross coverage will include a lower co-payment of up to $8 per prescription for a 30-day supply rather than $25 per prescription. Those without private ... Read More »
Be the first to comment!MHC’s class of 2020 will convocate in 2021
By Medicine Hat News on April 16th, 2020
New graduates of Medicine Hat College are being asked to save the date – June 11, 2021 – to attend a delayed convocation ceremony. This week, the institution posted the new date, 364 days later than initially planned, for the event at the Canalta Centre. The formal cap and gown ceremony to honour the accomplishments ... Read More »
Be the first to comment!AHS makes COVID-19 changes to lab services in Medicine Hat
By Medicine Hat News on April 16th, 2020
Alberta Health Services has made changes to laboratory services in Medicine Hat. The outpatient laboratory in Medicine Hat Regional hospital is now closed to the public. Patients who continue to attend any other clinics at the hospital will have their urgent laboratory blood work collected by the onsite lab team as needed. Other patients requiring ... Read More »
Be the first to comment!Seniors in the South in good hands, says AHS
By GILLIAN SLADE on April 16th, 2020
gslade@medicinehatnews.com@MHNGillianSlade Seniors’ facilities across the country are frequently at the epicentre of the ravages of COVID-19, but in Alberta’s south zone and Medicine Hat, the health authority is confident. “I feel very confident that people are well informed. We are working with all of our seniors’ facilities every single day making sure that all of ... Read More »
Be the first to comment!Adjusting to the new norm for health-care visits
By GILLIAN SLADE on April 16th, 2020
gslade@medicinehatnews.com@MHNGillianSlade COVID-19 and social distancing requires a paradigm shift when it comes to how we visit with our family doctor and the team of health care providers in that practice. In many cases a visit to the clinic has now become a telephone consultation, said Treena Klassen, executive director, Primary Care Network for the Palliser ... Read More »
Be the first to comment!New child services look delayed
By Medicine Hat News on April 16th, 2020
Local child and family service providers found out earlier this month who got funding under the Alberta government’s new framework, but the global pandemic has meant there’s still a lot to be figured out for one of them. Of the four Medicine Hat-based providers to win bids – which were announced last week – three ... Read More »
Be the first to comment!Brooks braces for spike in virus cases
By Medicine Hat News on April 16th, 2020
Brooks is bracing for a “distressing increase” in the number of COVID-19 cases in that city, according to a release from city officials on Thursday afternoon, and that includes several at the JBS meat packing plant. Earlier this week, a map provided by Alberta Health which tracks cases and locations, showed an initial case had ... Read More »
Be the first to comment!City operations posts small surplus
By COLLIN GALLANT on April 16th, 2020
cgallant@medicinehatnews.com@CollinGallant Medicine Hat’s municipal operations posted a small surplus in 2019 due to cost cuts and managing unforeseen costs, while power sales saw dividend balloon, according to the city’s annual financial report, released late last week. A $200,000 carry forward amount includes changes to deal with a $1.6-million error in original property tax calculations as ... Read More »
Be the first to comment!AHS won’t say how many, if any, are in local hospital with COVID-19
By GILLIAN SLADE on April 16th, 2020
gslade@medicinehatnews.com@MHNGillianSlade There are many questions related to COVID-19 that Alberta Health Services has been repeatedly asked, along with Alberta Health, but are still choosing not to disclose. How many cases of COVID-19 there might be at Medicine Hat Regional Hospital, remains a mystery. “We are not able to share specific patient information unfortunately,” said Katherine ... Read More »
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