Virtual emergency physician program expands to Oyen

On-site physician services will continue to be available Tuesday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., as well as from 7 a.m. Friday to 8 p.m. Monday.

“Generally, many of our emergency department service disruptions occur overnight when the number of patients is lower, and the injuries or illnesses are not as acute and can be easily handled with on-site nursing care and a virtual physician,” AHS Associate Chief Medical Officer, Rural Health Sustainability, Dr. Jane Ojedokun said.

The VEP program launched in January 2025 and has since supported more than a dozen rural emergency departments across Alberta.

The program has been utilized in Bow Island since earlier this year.

—

READ: Virtual Emergency Physician program comes to Bow Island Health Centre (June 1, 2026)

—

AHS says the program has eliminated 98 per cent of emergency department service disruptions.

The health authority says it is continuing to expand the program based on experience and feedback from rural sites, with more locations expected to join in the coming months.

“Seeing the data and feedback from VEP support at rural sites throughout the province, we know that it is providing a reliable solution to keep rural EDs open in situations that would otherwise lead to service disruptions,” Dr. Ojedokun said.

“VEP improves access to care during temporary physician absences while supporting the dedicated healthcare teams that provide exceptional care every day.”

Emergency Health Services remains available to transfer patients who require in-person emergency physician care to a facility with on-site physician support, as needed.

AHS says it continues to recruit physicians to provide in-person emergency department support across the province. The VEP program is one of several tools being used to support rural emergency departments and maintain access to care.

by Jesse Gill

Virtual emergency physician program expands to Oyen

Our Community