"Smith restructures Alberta's health sector focus on patient care experience"

"Smith restructures Alberta's health sector focus on patient care experience"

Danielle Smith, the Premier of Alberta, stood ground on her revamp of the health services department during her radio show on Saturday, insisting it would bolster healthcare in the province.

During the show, hosts Wayne Nelson and Smith discussed the new health care layout now that it has been distributed across four distinct cabinet positions: Adriana LaGrange (primarily preventative and primary health services), Matt Jones (hospital and surgical health services), Rick Wilson (mental health and addiction), and Jason Nixon (assisted living and social services).

Diversion of Albertans

Smith clarified on Saturday that the division of the health portfolio was designed to steer Alberta citizens away from emergency rooms when immediate care wasn't necessary.

"If you need a doctor, use the emergency entrance," Smith explained. "If you have a mental health emergency, use the emergency entrance; if you're homeless, the same goes for you, and for long-term care...(utilize) the emergency entrance."

She mentioned that this approach transformed hospitals into "multi-purpose facilities" that took them away from their main responsibility: handling emergencies, and orchestrating efficient surgeries and convalescence.

"We've tried it this way," she admitted. "All-integrated. I think we need to try a different approach—clearly it wasn't working, it wasn’t fostering the type of environment our nurses wanted to work in, and our utmost aim is to offer our frontline staff a noteworthy improvement in patient experience while also ensuring they're firing on all cylinders every morning."

No Demotion for Adriana LaGrange

Smith emphasized that former health minister Adriana LaGrange wasn't demoted, but rather repositioned to concentrate on a different aspect of health services.

"She's still the one with the majority of decision-making," Smith affirmed.

"Let's consider how frequently a person actually visits a hospital as a patient?" she asked. "It's actually a negligible number, but all of us have to see a primary care provider.

"There are too many people ohne linked to a family doctor," she added, "although we're making strides there—we can always improve."

According to Smith, the health reform is aimed at streamlining the experience of the patient.

"We've a serious problem in the system," she said, "from gaining an appointment with your doctor, to obtaining diagnostic tests, from securing a specialist's recommendation, and scheduling surgery time—that is the broad issue with the patient experience, and I assure you, I have immense faith in Minister LaGrange.

"She'll delve into it and we'll make significant improvements there."

Alberta NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi, though, claimed that the shift represented a "massive" demotion for LaGrange, who previously oversaw the entire health-care system.

Nenshi, who has called for LaGrange to resign, pointed out that LaGrange is no longer responsible for issuing private surgical contracts or administrating the acute care system.

"She can't make things worse in hospitals than she already has. I suppose that's a step forward," Nenshi opined.

Update on Corruption Inquiry

Smith also offered an update on the investigation into corruption allegations concerning AHS and its procurement process.

"We'll at least have the independent judge delivering the review by June," she stated.

"We have to remember what the charges were," she added. "The charges were the existence of different fees being paid to different chartered surgical centers for identical surgeries.

"It is essential to recall," she emphasized, "Because we've just analyzed all these different health facilities within AHS that perform the same kind of surgery.

"And I'll tell you one thing we've discovered," she said. "In Medicine Hat, it's the cheapest spot for carrying out complex joint replacements—they cost an average $8,800 per surgery (in Medicine Hat), whereas at the University of Alberta (Edmonton), it costs an average $26,000 per surgery.

"We should question why there's such a disparity in pricing for performing those knee replacements."

Smith concluded that all joint replacements aren't the same.

"There are more complex patients that attend the U of A," she said. "It's the place where, if you have a lengthy surgery or additional complicating factors, you go there because it will take more time to operate.

"However, that doesn't explain all the disparity in pricing," she noted, "so we'll delve further into that."

Sources: [1-ibid], [2-ibid], [3-ibid], 4-Alberta Health Changes Power Brokers, | Calgary Herald, 5-Why Alberta's health-care shakeup is more complicated than you think, | National Observer

1. Danielle Smith advocated for the revamp of Alberta's health services department, asserting it would enhance healthcare in the province.
2. The health care layout in Alberta has been reorganized into four distinct cabinet positions.
3. Adriana LaGrange is primarily focusing on preventative and primary health services.
4. Matt Jones is in charge of hospital and surgical health services.
5. Rick Wilson is responsible for mental health and addiction.
6. Jason Nixon handles assisted living and social services.
7. Smith explained the division of the health portfolio aims to steer Alberta citizens away from emergency rooms when immediate care isn't necessary.
8. Smith urged citizens to use emergency rooms only for emergencies, not for regular medical care or mental health crises.
9. Hospitals are being transformed into "multi-purpose facilities" to handle their main responsibility: emergencies and efficient surgeries.
10. Smith admitted they've tried an all-integrated approach but it wasn't working effectively.
11. The new approach aims to improve the patient experience and ensure frontline staff are efficient every day.
12. Smith clarified that Adriana LaGrange wasn't demoted, but repositioned to focus on a different aspect of health services.
13. Smith stated that LaGrange still has the majority of decision-making power.
14. Smith pointed out that fewer people visit hospitals as patients compared to seeing a primary care provider.
15. Smith expressed concern over the number of people without a family doctor.
16. The health reform aims to streamline the patient experience, from booking appointments to scheduling surgeries.
17. Smith has faith in Adriana LaGrange's ability to make significant improvements in the patient experience.
18. Alberta NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi claimed the shift represented a "massive" demotion for LaGrange.
19. Nenshi called for LaGrange to resign.
20. Nenshi pointed out that LaGrange is no longer responsible for issuing private surgical contracts or administrating the acute care system.
21. Nenshi opined that LaGrange can't make things worse in hospitals than she already has.
22. Smith provided an update on the investigation into corruption allegations concerning AHS and its procurement process.
23. Smith stated the independent judge delivering the review should be ready by June.
24. Smith reminded listeners of the charges: the existence of different fees being paid to different chartered surgical centers for identical surgeries.
25. Smith emphasized the need to analyze all health facilities within AHS that perform the same kind of surgery.
26. Smith highlighted that Medicine Hat offers the cheapest spot for complex joint replacements compared to the University of Alberta.
27. Smith questioned the disparity in pricing for performing knee replacements.
28. Smith stated that not all joint replacements are the same, and more complex patients might attend the University of Alberta.
29. Smith noted that the disparity in pricing isn't fully explained by more complex patients or longer surgeries.
30. Smith promised to delve further into the disparity in pricing for joint replacements.

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