Alberta hospitals overcapacity heading into cold, flu season: Packed to the gills [Video]

Typically at Alberta hospitals, summers and falls are — relatively speaking — slower before the winter respiratory virus season brings an influx of patients.

However this year, doctors in Edmonton say there has been no reprieve.

“We’re really packed to the gills already,” said Edmonton critical care specialist Dr. Shelley Duggan, who is also the new president of the Alberta Medical Association.

“We’re starting, unfortunately, what will be our respiratory viruses and flu season with being in substantial overcapacity.

The AMA said in recent days in Edmonton, wards for family medicine — filled with patients who are usually older, more frail and need medical issues addressed in a hospital setting that they would not be able to manage in the community — have been operating at about 155 per cent of capacity.

Meanwhile, Duggan said hospital units for general internal medicine has been at 135 per cent capacity.

“This is obviously problematic because we just don’t have the spaces, as well …