- Plans for a multimillion-dollar maternity hospital have been shelved, according to a senior physician, as Alberta Health Services announced an $11.6-million expansion to a gynecological and obstetrics unit at Peter Lougheed Centre.
The funding will upgrade the hospital to redevelop the neonatal intensive-care unit and labour facilities, and to build a dedicated operating room.
However, plans dating from 2007 for a $200-million maternity hospital to cope with Calgary's ongoing demographic-born baby boom are apparently not going forward.
"It would have been a very nice acquisition for the city, but my understanding is that that's no longer an option," said Dr. Doug Wilson, the Alberta Health Sciences Department head of obstetrics and gynecology.
He said he did not know why the plans were abandoned and other government officials were not available for comment.
The hospital, which would have been built next to the Alberta Children's Hospital, was last listed as in the planning stages in the 2009 health and wellness capital plan.
Full funding for the facility had not been secured.
Now, to handle an increased need for maternity beds, Dr. Wilson said: "We probably will need some sort of relook at the Foothills as well as Rockyview as well as south health campus. The numbers, I think, need to be worked on."
Calgary has struggled with maternity bed capacity since the boom began about five years ago. In addition to demographics and an increasing population resulting from a strong economy, critics said the lack of maternity beds has been exacerbated by the closure of the Calgary General Hospital and the Holy Cross.
AHS said 18,000 babies are born in the city annually, a number that is expected to increase to 20,600 by 2015.
After the improvements, the Peter Lougheed Centre is expected to increase its annual maternity capacity to 7,000 births per year, from 5,835.
Under the previous plans, which were created by the pre-amalgamation Calgary Health Region, the obstetric services at Foothills were to be closed and labouring mothers sent to the new facility in the northwest. That hospital was slated to handle between 6,500 and 7,000 newborns every year.
The maternal hospital was "a very high priority for us because of the dramatic increase in birth rate," Jack Davis told the Herald in 2007, when he was the CHR's chief executive. "It looks like this will be a high growth area for a number of years."
According to Liberal Leader David Swann, the maternity ward at Foothills is already operating at twice its capacity, and the expansion to Peter Lougheed Centre will likely not make up for the additional need.
"This is certainly going to help us provide an expanded service, but there's still some room to grow and the South Health campus will provide some additional support for that," Dr. Wilson said.
The nearly $12-million announcement for the Peter Lougheed Centre will only cover the cost of the physical upgrade; it does not include funding for doctors or nurses, Dr. Wilson said.
The lack of funding for staff also follows the AHS's modus operandi, Swann said.
"This shell game has been not only a shame, but also a huge creator of cynicism and anger," he said. "Without knowing the extent of the need (for new maternity beds), it's hard to say whether these extra beds will be fully operational and fully staffed and to what extent they will meet the need."
With Calgary's maternity wards operating at over or near capacity, said Dave Eggen, executive director of Friends of Medicare, the city needed the proposed hospital.
"It wasn't just to serve the metro of more than one million in Calgary; it was part of the larger regional plan for southern Alberta. Especially for complications," he said, adding Thursday's announcement is another example of moving one step forward and two steps back. "The government uses announcements to expand health care to prop up their own circumstances, but in reality they have not moved forward at all in the last two years."
New mothers are often being asked to leave the hospital less than 24 hours after giving birth to open new beds. Dr. Wilson said that practice "will continue as long as the birth rate in Calgary continues to rise."
jgerson@calgaryherald.com
Friday, January 28, 2011
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
News Columnists / Andrew Hanon
Stelmach offers lessons in bad politics: Critics
By ANDREW HANON, Edmonton Sun
Last Updated: January 25, 2011 5:12pm
: Stelmach If you straddle the fence, you're going to fall off.
That's what Ed Stelmach's critics say is the lesson of his four years as Alberta's premier.
"He failed to take a position one way or the other," said Dave Eggen, head of Friends of Medicare and an NDP candidate in the next election. "The health-care debate personified that. Stelmach made no commitment to public health funding, but from the right wing's perspective, the government spent excessively on health care."
Stelmach managed to infuriate both sides of the debate, Eggen said.
"His last year in office has been a lesson for all politicians about the perils of being indecisive."
Scott Hennig of the Canadian Taxpayers' Federation says it's a ironic that back in the early 1990s, Stelmach was one of the so-called Deep Six back benchers who pushed then-premier Ralph Klein hard to cut spending and balance the budget. But while he was the boss, Stelmach oversaw three budget deficits in a row.
Hennig said Stelmach acknowledged that, in part, Stelmach was a victim of circumstances beyond his control. Klein's final years in office during the boom were marked with huge spending increases. When Stelmach took over in 2006, he was determined to rebuild long-neglected infrastructure.
Then the recession hit and revenue trailed off.
"But when times changed, Stelmach didn't react," Hennig said.
Environmentalists had hoped Stelmach would listen to them more than Klein did, but the head of Greenpeace said he was a bitter disappointment.
"He promised to eliminate (oilsands) tailings ponds, but they're bigger than ever," said Mike Huddema. "We don't have an effective monitoring system and our approvals process is absolutely insufficient."
But Huddema doubts a change in Tory leadership will make a difference.
"It's going to take more than just changing the captain's chair to turn this ship around," he said.
andrew.hanon@sunmedia.ca
Stelmach offers lessons in bad politics: Critics
By ANDREW HANON, Edmonton Sun
Last Updated: January 25, 2011 5:12pm
: Stelmach If you straddle the fence, you're going to fall off.
That's what Ed Stelmach's critics say is the lesson of his four years as Alberta's premier.
"He failed to take a position one way or the other," said Dave Eggen, head of Friends of Medicare and an NDP candidate in the next election. "The health-care debate personified that. Stelmach made no commitment to public health funding, but from the right wing's perspective, the government spent excessively on health care."
Stelmach managed to infuriate both sides of the debate, Eggen said.
"His last year in office has been a lesson for all politicians about the perils of being indecisive."
Scott Hennig of the Canadian Taxpayers' Federation says it's a ironic that back in the early 1990s, Stelmach was one of the so-called Deep Six back benchers who pushed then-premier Ralph Klein hard to cut spending and balance the budget. But while he was the boss, Stelmach oversaw three budget deficits in a row.
Hennig said Stelmach acknowledged that, in part, Stelmach was a victim of circumstances beyond his control. Klein's final years in office during the boom were marked with huge spending increases. When Stelmach took over in 2006, he was determined to rebuild long-neglected infrastructure.
Then the recession hit and revenue trailed off.
"But when times changed, Stelmach didn't react," Hennig said.
Environmentalists had hoped Stelmach would listen to them more than Klein did, but the head of Greenpeace said he was a bitter disappointment.
"He promised to eliminate (oilsands) tailings ponds, but they're bigger than ever," said Mike Huddema. "We don't have an effective monitoring system and our approvals process is absolutely insufficient."
But Huddema doubts a change in Tory leadership will make a difference.
"It's going to take more than just changing the captain's chair to turn this ship around," he said.
andrew.hanon@sunmedia.ca
Saturday, January 15, 2011
AHS provides an update on ER protocols Updated: Fri Jan. 14 2011 18:06:33
ctvedmonton.ca
Since introducing new emergency room protocols nearly three weeks ago, Alberta Health Services says the situation in emergency rooms is improving. But the acting president and CEO of Alberta Health Services (AHS) says they still have a ways to go yet.
"I can't guarantee I'll meet the targets but that's what my performance is judged on so I'll do my best," said Dr. Chris Eagle.
Health officials addressed the media Friday saying the protocols have already reduced the number of patients in ERs waiting for admission to a hospital bed.
Officials report in September of last year, there were on average 80 patients in emergency room wait rooms in the morning waiting for admission to a hospital bed. There were 84 patients waiting on average in October, 71 in November and 48 in December. And on Friday morning, the number sat at 44.
"We see that the admitted patients are starting to increase, then it's a proactive, 'OK I'm going to make a couple of phone calls and I'm going to get my patients moved'", said emergency room physician Dr. Cheri Nijssen-Jordan.
When health officials outlined their comprehensive plan to deal with over capacity in ERs, they identified six situations where immediate action would be taken to free up space for patients.
Under the new plan, patients are being moved to other wards or community care facilities when the following situations occur:
Hospital occupancy exceeds 100 per cent
Patients in emergency rooms exceed 110 per cent
There are no additional beds in emergency wards to treat very ill people
There are seven or fewer ambulances on the road in Edmonton or Calgary
More than five patients in emergency have waited for more than eight hours to be admitted
The percentage of patients being treated in emergency while awaiting admission to hospital exceeds 35 per cent of available emergency care beds
Health officials say the protocols have been activated 20 times from December 20 to January 10 in Edmonton.
Friends of Medicare believe the protocols are just quick fix.
What you're doing is moving people from the emergency rooms, getting them into the hospital, but the wait time in the emergency room goes down, the wait time in the hospital ward goes up," said David Eggen with Friends of Medicare.
AHS has just over two months to reach specific targets that include getting 70 per cent of patients treated and released within four hours, and 45 per cent of admitted patients waiting eight hours or less for a hospital bed.
Flu numbers are also expected to get worse. And Eagle says with that, he can't guarantee those targets will happen.
"We're particularly concerned around the impact influenza may have on this health system," said Eagle.
With files from Laura Tupper
ctvedmonton.ca
Since introducing new emergency room protocols nearly three weeks ago, Alberta Health Services says the situation in emergency rooms is improving. But the acting president and CEO of Alberta Health Services (AHS) says they still have a ways to go yet.
"I can't guarantee I'll meet the targets but that's what my performance is judged on so I'll do my best," said Dr. Chris Eagle.
Health officials addressed the media Friday saying the protocols have already reduced the number of patients in ERs waiting for admission to a hospital bed.
Officials report in September of last year, there were on average 80 patients in emergency room wait rooms in the morning waiting for admission to a hospital bed. There were 84 patients waiting on average in October, 71 in November and 48 in December. And on Friday morning, the number sat at 44.
"We see that the admitted patients are starting to increase, then it's a proactive, 'OK I'm going to make a couple of phone calls and I'm going to get my patients moved'", said emergency room physician Dr. Cheri Nijssen-Jordan.
When health officials outlined their comprehensive plan to deal with over capacity in ERs, they identified six situations where immediate action would be taken to free up space for patients.
Under the new plan, patients are being moved to other wards or community care facilities when the following situations occur:
Hospital occupancy exceeds 100 per cent
Patients in emergency rooms exceed 110 per cent
There are no additional beds in emergency wards to treat very ill people
There are seven or fewer ambulances on the road in Edmonton or Calgary
More than five patients in emergency have waited for more than eight hours to be admitted
The percentage of patients being treated in emergency while awaiting admission to hospital exceeds 35 per cent of available emergency care beds
Health officials say the protocols have been activated 20 times from December 20 to January 10 in Edmonton.
Friends of Medicare believe the protocols are just quick fix.
What you're doing is moving people from the emergency rooms, getting them into the hospital, but the wait time in the emergency room goes down, the wait time in the hospital ward goes up," said David Eggen with Friends of Medicare.
AHS has just over two months to reach specific targets that include getting 70 per cent of patients treated and released within four hours, and 45 per cent of admitted patients waiting eight hours or less for a hospital bed.
Flu numbers are also expected to get worse. And Eagle says with that, he can't guarantee those targets will happen.
"We're particularly concerned around the impact influenza may have on this health system," said Eagle.
With files from Laura Tupper
Friday, January 14, 2011
This headline is fantastic
Rebel MLA bound for Medicine Hat .Friday, 14 January 2011 02:00 Angus Henderson .Medicine Hat News
The local chapter of Friends of Medicare will be featuring Edmonton MLA Dr. Raj Sherman as its special guest speaker on Saturday, Feb. 19 at 7 p.m.
"Friends of Medicare chapters look forward to hosting Dr. Sherman to encourage a frank, non-partisan discussion about health care in Alberta," says David Eggen, provincial executive director of Friends of Medicare.
"Dr. Sherman has many insights to share, and is looking forward to hearing from Albertans about their concerns."
The meeting will be open to the public, and will include plenty of opportunity to ask questions and offer comments.
A venue for the town hall meeting will be announced in the next week or so.
Dr. Sherman was expelled from the Alberta government in November caucus after criticizing Alberta Health Services, saying the health care system in the province was broken. An emergency room doctor who still works weekends, Dr. Sherman now sits as an independent MLA.
Sherman had been the parliamentary assistant for health prior to his ouster.
The local chapter of Friends of Medicare will be featuring Edmonton MLA Dr. Raj Sherman as its special guest speaker on Saturday, Feb. 19 at 7 p.m.
"Friends of Medicare chapters look forward to hosting Dr. Sherman to encourage a frank, non-partisan discussion about health care in Alberta," says David Eggen, provincial executive director of Friends of Medicare.
"Dr. Sherman has many insights to share, and is looking forward to hearing from Albertans about their concerns."
The meeting will be open to the public, and will include plenty of opportunity to ask questions and offer comments.
A venue for the town hall meeting will be announced in the next week or so.
Dr. Sherman was expelled from the Alberta government in November caucus after criticizing Alberta Health Services, saying the health care system in the province was broken. An emergency room doctor who still works weekends, Dr. Sherman now sits as an independent MLA.
Sherman had been the parliamentary assistant for health prior to his ouster.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Edmonton Journal
Raj Sherman announces tour dates
By Keith Gerein Thu, Jan 13 2011 COMMENTS(0) Capital Notebook
In an announcement that might seem more befitting a rock star than a politician, a series of dates has been set across the province for "town hall meetings" featuring MLA Dr. Raj Sherman.
Sherman, of course, was arguably the biggst newsmaker of the fall legislature session, in part for his criticisms of how the Stelmach government has handled problems in hospital emergency rooms. He was removed from the Tory caucus and at one point alleged the party was engaging in a secret campaign to smear his reputation.
With health care again expected to be a major issue in the spring session, the now independent MLA is going on a five-city tour to discuss the subject with Albertans. The advocacy group Friends of Medicare, an organization run by NDP candidate David Eggen, is hosting the events. The group says these town hall meetings will feature speeches by Sherman along with "non-partisan" discussion.
The schedule is as follows, though venues have not yet been finalized:
Calgary on Jan. 29 at 1:30 p.m.
Red Deer on Feb. 8 at 7 p.m.
Lethbridge on Feb. 19 at 2 p.m.
Medicine Hat on Feb. 19 at 7 p.m.
Grande Prairie on Feb. 26 at 7 p.m.
In addition to these dates, Sherman also plans to host community meetings in his home riding of Edmonton-Meadowlark. In part, these meetings will help Sherman to determine his political future. He has already declared that he will run again in the next election though he hasn't decided if he will choose a new party or continue on as an independent.
By Keith Gerein Thu, Jan 13 2011 COMMENTS(0) Capital Notebook
In an announcement that might seem more befitting a rock star than a politician, a series of dates has been set across the province for "town hall meetings" featuring MLA Dr. Raj Sherman.
Sherman, of course, was arguably the biggst newsmaker of the fall legislature session, in part for his criticisms of how the Stelmach government has handled problems in hospital emergency rooms. He was removed from the Tory caucus and at one point alleged the party was engaging in a secret campaign to smear his reputation.
With health care again expected to be a major issue in the spring session, the now independent MLA is going on a five-city tour to discuss the subject with Albertans. The advocacy group Friends of Medicare, an organization run by NDP candidate David Eggen, is hosting the events. The group says these town hall meetings will feature speeches by Sherman along with "non-partisan" discussion.
The schedule is as follows, though venues have not yet been finalized:
Calgary on Jan. 29 at 1:30 p.m.
Red Deer on Feb. 8 at 7 p.m.
Lethbridge on Feb. 19 at 2 p.m.
Medicine Hat on Feb. 19 at 7 p.m.
Grande Prairie on Feb. 26 at 7 p.m.
In addition to these dates, Sherman also plans to host community meetings in his home riding of Edmonton-Meadowlark. In part, these meetings will help Sherman to determine his political future. He has already declared that he will run again in the next election though he hasn't decided if he will choose a new party or continue on as an independent.
CTV Toronto
Ex-Tory MLA talks health care in AlbertaThursday, January 13, 2011 6:52 PM
Ousted Tory MLA Dr. Raj Sherman is set to speak about health care in Alberta over the next two months.
MLA Raj Sherman accuses Premier Ed Stelmach of trying to take his medical licence
Liberals drop "smoking gun" on Tory health plans; ex-Tory confirms document By Bob WeberOusted Tory MLA Dr. Raj Sherman is set to speak about health care in Alberta over the next two months.
Friends of Medicare will be holding a number of town hall meetings across the province with Sherman as the guest speaker.
"Dr. Sherman has many insights to share and is looking forward to hearing from Albertans about their concerns," said David Eggen, executive director with Friends of Medicare.
Meetings through Friends of Medicare have been confirmed for Calgary, Red Deer, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat and Grand Prairie.
But Sherman has also planned his own townhall meetings for his constituency Edmonton-Meadowlark.
Edmonton meetings will be held on Jan. 24 at McClure United Church, on Feb. 1 at the Westend Seniors Activity Centre, Feb. 3 at West Meadows Baptist Church, and Feb. 5 at the Aldergrove Community Hall.
Venues will be confirmed in the next few days and the public is encouraged to attend.
Last month, Premier Ed Stelmach suspended Sherman indefinitely from the Tory caucus after Sherman criticized his party and said Alberta’s emergency health system was on the brink of collapse.
He is now sitting as an independent member of the legislature,
© Copyright (c) CW Media Inc
Ousted Tory MLA Dr. Raj Sherman is set to speak about health care in Alberta over the next two months.
MLA Raj Sherman accuses Premier Ed Stelmach of trying to take his medical licence
Liberals drop "smoking gun" on Tory health plans; ex-Tory confirms document By Bob WeberOusted Tory MLA Dr. Raj Sherman is set to speak about health care in Alberta over the next two months.
Friends of Medicare will be holding a number of town hall meetings across the province with Sherman as the guest speaker.
"Dr. Sherman has many insights to share and is looking forward to hearing from Albertans about their concerns," said David Eggen, executive director with Friends of Medicare.
Meetings through Friends of Medicare have been confirmed for Calgary, Red Deer, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat and Grand Prairie.
But Sherman has also planned his own townhall meetings for his constituency Edmonton-Meadowlark.
Edmonton meetings will be held on Jan. 24 at McClure United Church, on Feb. 1 at the Westend Seniors Activity Centre, Feb. 3 at West Meadows Baptist Church, and Feb. 5 at the Aldergrove Community Hall.
Venues will be confirmed in the next few days and the public is encouraged to attend.
Last month, Premier Ed Stelmach suspended Sherman indefinitely from the Tory caucus after Sherman criticized his party and said Alberta’s emergency health system was on the brink of collapse.
He is now sitting as an independent member of the legislature,
© Copyright (c) CW Media Inc
Friday, January 7, 2011
One lurch forward, two steps back
As the first geriatric mental health patients move into Villa Caritas this week, it's an opportune time to look back at the Alberta Health Services bumbling that brought them there.
Villa Caritas was initially slated to be a long-term-care facility. The Caritas Health Group, now called Covenant Health, raised funds through its lotteries to build and operate the facility near the Misericordia Hospital, with financial help from the provincial government.
But, as we now all know, that plan went out the window when Alberta Health Services announced plans to close Alberta Hospital to save some money. When faced with public outrage over plans to transfer mental health patients to other city hospitals or release them into the community into non-existent care facilities, the health superboard decided to move only the geriatric patients and convert Villa Caritas into a mental health facility. That left the patients who were expecting to be moved to the new long-term care facility stranded, creating another uproar that still has not subsided.
In a province desperate for additional long-term care beds, the board was filling the new building with mental health patients. It was addressing the bed shortage by taking away new beds.
As this was going on, there was confusion over who should own the new facility. The provincial auditor general pointed out the building was constructed without any proper funding arrangements in place. The province had to put $8 million into upgrading the newly-constructed facility and providing the necessary monitoring equipment to make it safe and practical for mental health patients. That in turn delayed the opening of the facility from last fall to this week. Eventually, the province coughed up another $40 million for the building and agreed to reimburse Covenant Health for the money it had invested in it.
While there are pros and cons to having geriatric mental patients in the new facility, rather than at Alberta Hospital, the critical need for long-term care beds has been exacerbated. That has contributed to the backup of long-term care patients in acute care hospital beds, and ultimately to a crisis in emergency rooms.
Alberta Liberal Kevin Taft has fittingly dubbed this fiasco "management by lurch."
In his farewell speech, ousted Alberta Health Services CEO Stephen Duckett claimed Villa Caritas as one of his "achievements." And Health Minister Gene Zwozdesky would have you believe that somehow, Albertans are better off as a result of this calamity, and that everything is just fine.
But Auditor General Merwan Saher has blasted the planning for Villa Caritas as "very poor practice" and stressed in his annual report that it is "a practice that cannot be allowed to continue."
While he didn't find any evidence the poor practice was putting patients at risk, he did say it put the delivery of cost-efficient health care at risk.
After the last two tumultuous years of change and counter-change, some health-care critics might go so far as to say the Villa Caritas debacle is a microcosm of the province's health-care system. Albertans can be forgiven for hoping that's an exaggeration.
© Copyright (c) The Edmonton Journal
Villa Caritas was initially slated to be a long-term-care facility. The Caritas Health Group, now called Covenant Health, raised funds through its lotteries to build and operate the facility near the Misericordia Hospital, with financial help from the provincial government.
But, as we now all know, that plan went out the window when Alberta Health Services announced plans to close Alberta Hospital to save some money. When faced with public outrage over plans to transfer mental health patients to other city hospitals or release them into the community into non-existent care facilities, the health superboard decided to move only the geriatric patients and convert Villa Caritas into a mental health facility. That left the patients who were expecting to be moved to the new long-term care facility stranded, creating another uproar that still has not subsided.
In a province desperate for additional long-term care beds, the board was filling the new building with mental health patients. It was addressing the bed shortage by taking away new beds.
As this was going on, there was confusion over who should own the new facility. The provincial auditor general pointed out the building was constructed without any proper funding arrangements in place. The province had to put $8 million into upgrading the newly-constructed facility and providing the necessary monitoring equipment to make it safe and practical for mental health patients. That in turn delayed the opening of the facility from last fall to this week. Eventually, the province coughed up another $40 million for the building and agreed to reimburse Covenant Health for the money it had invested in it.
While there are pros and cons to having geriatric mental patients in the new facility, rather than at Alberta Hospital, the critical need for long-term care beds has been exacerbated. That has contributed to the backup of long-term care patients in acute care hospital beds, and ultimately to a crisis in emergency rooms.
Alberta Liberal Kevin Taft has fittingly dubbed this fiasco "management by lurch."
In his farewell speech, ousted Alberta Health Services CEO Stephen Duckett claimed Villa Caritas as one of his "achievements." And Health Minister Gene Zwozdesky would have you believe that somehow, Albertans are better off as a result of this calamity, and that everything is just fine.
But Auditor General Merwan Saher has blasted the planning for Villa Caritas as "very poor practice" and stressed in his annual report that it is "a practice that cannot be allowed to continue."
While he didn't find any evidence the poor practice was putting patients at risk, he did say it put the delivery of cost-efficient health care at risk.
After the last two tumultuous years of change and counter-change, some health-care critics might go so far as to say the Villa Caritas debacle is a microcosm of the province's health-care system. Albertans can be forgiven for hoping that's an exaggeration.
© Copyright (c) The Edmonton Journal
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Edmonton Journal
Drivel in Duckett farewell
By David Eggen, Edmonton Journal January 5, 2011 Re: "Duckett says he was blindsided by government's health cutbacks; Health Services CEO spoke to former senior staff 12 days after he was terminated," The Journal, Dec. 31.
Stephen Duckett misrepresents Friends of Medicare's position in his farewell speech to Alberta Health Services senior leaders. Even after his termination, Duckett chooses fearmongering and exaggeration, suggesting our non-profit society would be "putting almost all physician practices out of business" if we had our way. What drivel!
We oppose this government's policy to sell off our public health system to investor-owned private contractors. We want to support our physicians and all health professionals to be able to do their essential work without interference from those who seek excessive profit from the health care Albertans require.
This government's policy of privatization is out of tune with the public's desire to see our public health system improved, not dismantled. Mind the door doesn't hit you on the way out, Duckett!
David Eggen, execut i ve di rector, Friends of Medicare
© Copyright (c) The Edmonton Journal
By David Eggen, Edmonton Journal January 5, 2011 Re: "Duckett says he was blindsided by government's health cutbacks; Health Services CEO spoke to former senior staff 12 days after he was terminated," The Journal, Dec. 31.
Stephen Duckett misrepresents Friends of Medicare's position in his farewell speech to Alberta Health Services senior leaders. Even after his termination, Duckett chooses fearmongering and exaggeration, suggesting our non-profit society would be "putting almost all physician practices out of business" if we had our way. What drivel!
We oppose this government's policy to sell off our public health system to investor-owned private contractors. We want to support our physicians and all health professionals to be able to do their essential work without interference from those who seek excessive profit from the health care Albertans require.
This government's policy of privatization is out of tune with the public's desire to see our public health system improved, not dismantled. Mind the door doesn't hit you on the way out, Duckett!
David Eggen, execut i ve di rector, Friends of Medicare
© Copyright (c) The Edmonton Journal
CTV Edmonton
New facility adds spaces for geriatric mental health patients
Villa Caritas, a facility for elderly mental health patients,is set to open its doors in west Edmonton.
Updated: Tue Jan. 04 2011 19:00:57
Laura Tupper, ctvedmonton.ca
A new facility for geriatric patients suffering from mental issues, is about to open in west Edmonton.
Over the next month, patients will be transferred to Villa Caritas from Alberta Hospital and other hospitals in the area.
"It will have a dramatic improvement in terms of getting people out of emergency departments, out of acute-care hospitals," said Covenant Health President Patrick Dumelie, referring to the new facility which will operate on a "one-person-per-room" basis.
Villa Caritas has spaces for 150 seniors, which adds up to an extra 44 beds in the region.
"This should effectively address the need that we currently see across Edmonton, "Dumelie said.
But critics complain the $51 million spent on Villa Caritas would have been better spent elsewhere.
"It's a very expensive way to get those 44 beds," said David Eggen with Friends of Medicare.
Friends of Medicare also argues the facility should be used for regular long-term care beds, which was the original intent until the provincial government changed direction a year ago.
"I think the government's plan to open at least 1,000 continuing care spaces per year is right bang on track," countered Health Minister Gene Zwozdesky.
But when it comes to the future of mental health patients, Covenant Health admits more beds may be needed in the foreseeable future.
"This facility may not be enough for the next 20 years," said Dumelie. "We believe it's the right number of beds for today."
With files from CTV's Bill Fortier.
Villa Caritas, a facility for elderly mental health patients,is set to open its doors in west Edmonton.
Updated: Tue Jan. 04 2011 19:00:57
Laura Tupper, ctvedmonton.ca
A new facility for geriatric patients suffering from mental issues, is about to open in west Edmonton.
Over the next month, patients will be transferred to Villa Caritas from Alberta Hospital and other hospitals in the area.
"It will have a dramatic improvement in terms of getting people out of emergency departments, out of acute-care hospitals," said Covenant Health President Patrick Dumelie, referring to the new facility which will operate on a "one-person-per-room" basis.
Villa Caritas has spaces for 150 seniors, which adds up to an extra 44 beds in the region.
"This should effectively address the need that we currently see across Edmonton, "Dumelie said.
But critics complain the $51 million spent on Villa Caritas would have been better spent elsewhere.
"It's a very expensive way to get those 44 beds," said David Eggen with Friends of Medicare.
Friends of Medicare also argues the facility should be used for regular long-term care beds, which was the original intent until the provincial government changed direction a year ago.
"I think the government's plan to open at least 1,000 continuing care spaces per year is right bang on track," countered Health Minister Gene Zwozdesky.
But when it comes to the future of mental health patients, Covenant Health admits more beds may be needed in the foreseeable future.
"This facility may not be enough for the next 20 years," said Dumelie. "We believe it's the right number of beds for today."
With files from CTV's Bill Fortier.
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