Alberta health superboard releases document on how it will work with government
EDMONTON - Alberta Health Services says it will open 280 hospital beds by March to help unclog emergency rooms.
The pledge is part of the superboard's response to a self-assessment on how well the health-care system has been performing this year.
Acting CEO Dr. Chris Eagle said Alberta Health Services will release ways on how it will reduce wait times for surgery in a few weeks.
"AHS is implementing aggressive action plans to improve performance to reduce emergency department lengths of stay and improve access to continuing care and surgery wait times," Eagle said Thursday.
He made the remarks following the first meeting of the Alberta Health Services board since former CEO Stephen Duckett was let go Nov. 24. The board also released a paper that spells out how it should work with the provincial government.
The so-called mandate document follows the resignations of four board members in protest after Duckett left. Some of them also said they quit because of growing government interference.
The document says the board is accountable to Health Minister Gene Zwozdesky who is in turn accountable to Albertans through the legislature.
"It provides clarity around who has what accountability," said board chairman Ken Hughes.
Zwozdesky said the document is necessary because people want a clear understanding of who is responsible and accountable for health care.
The document says Alberta Health Services handles planning and delivering of care, while the government is responsible for setting regulations and policy.
The board also announced a plan to expand the roll of advisory councils to make the health system more responsive to smaller communities. The leaders of those advisory councils are to meet with Hughes and Eagle within six weeks.
Alberta Health Services also announced that it is on track to record a modest $20-million surplus by the end of the fiscal year.
Hughes said the self-assessment indicates Alberta Health Services is driving change in the right areas and spending money strategically.
The performance report says 80 per cent of hospital patients rate the quality of their overall hospital stay at between 8 and 10 out of 10. It also says 85 per cent of children who need mental health services in the community are receiving care within 30 days.
