Sturgeon Community Hospital is located in St. Albert, Alberta, and is part of the Alberta Health Services (AHS) system. It functions as a community hospital but with significant capability: a 24-hour emergency department, intensive care unit, maternity services, day surgeries, diagnostic services, and many outpatient clinics. It serves St. Albert and surrounding communities, offering many specialist services locally to reduce travel burden for patients.

Services & Clinical Capability

The hospital provides the following critical services: 24/7 Emergency Department for major trauma, cardiac emergencies, injuries and general medical emergencies. It includes a Critical Care Unit for adults with severe medical or surgical conditions requiring close monitoring, including ventilation support. The hospital includes maternity (labour, delivery, postpartum), neonatal screening and postpartum follow-up. Diagnostic imaging (CT, X-ray, ultrasound) and various outpatient specialist clinics (cardiology, orthopedics, internal medicine, gynecology, gastroenterology, etc.) are available. Rehabilitation, respiratory therapy, nutrition counselling, audiology and advanced vascular access are among the other services.

Community & Patient-Centered Features

Visiting hours in the Edmonton zone (which includes this hospital) are flexible: formal visitation hours have been removed so visits are arranged based on patient care needs. The hospital supports mental health & addictions services, adult day programs, spiritual care, and community diabetes programs. For patients and families there are conveniences such as cafeteria services, volunteer resources, good parking, accessible facilities, and wayfinding support. Interpretation / translation services are available as needed.

Strengths & Challenges

Strengths include its comprehensive mix of services for both acute/emergency care and outpatient specialty care in a community setting, which helps reduce need for patients to travel to large urban hospital centres. The presence of NICU screening, critical care, maternity and specialized outpatient clinics locally adds value. The hospital appears well-staffed for many services, and its location in St. Albert gives it strategic importance for northern suburbs of Edmonton.

Challenges include potential wait times, especially for specialty outpatient clinics and diagnostics, given high demand. Critical care and ICU capacity may be stressed during surges. Travel for some patients still may be non-trivial depending on their exact location. Navigation among clinics or ensuring patients and families know which service/department to use can be confusing. Also, some advanced or ultra-specialist care may still require referral to larger tertiary hospitals.

Practical Information & Tips for Use

Address: 201 Boudreau Road, St. Albert, Alberta, T8N 6C4. Switchboard: 780-418-8200. Emergency services are open 24 hours. For non-urgent visits or specialist clinics, check ahead whether referrals or appointments are needed. Plan for parking and transit; accessible entrances are available. If you are travelling from greater Edmonton or surrounding communities, know which diagnostic or clinic location is needed. Bring health insurance card / ID. For mental health, day programs, or diabetes care, confirm availability, schedules and fees where applicable.