Photo by Chris Schwarz/Government of Alberta.
The government of Alberta is refocusing the health care system, and emergency services across the province.
Work to refocus the health care system began in November 2023. Since then, progress has been made, with Acute Care Alberta becoming operational on April 1.
As Alberta Health Services (AHS) transitions from a health authority to a service delivery provider under the new agency, additional steps will be taken to ensure the health care system and emergency health services are efficient.
To support the efforts, emergency health services will be transferred from AHS to Acute Care Alberta, investments will be made in emergency medical services (EMS), and a shared services entity to support provincial health agencies and service providers will be established.
The changes are aimed at enhancing specialized expertise, improving care and focus, and strengthening the health care system.
“From the beginning of our refocusing efforts, we’ve emphasized the importance of creating organizations dedicated to specific sectors, allowing health care workers to focus on what they do best. By moving emergency health services to Acute Care Alberta, I am confident it will receive the focused attention needed to deliver the care Albertans deserve,” said Adriana LaGrange, Minister of Health.
Under the oversight of Acute Care Alberta, emergency health services will work to enhance emergency care and improve system efficiency, patient safety, and response times.
“We are progressing significantly toward making Acute Care Alberta operational, and I’m pleased to see this important step moving forward. These changes will help refocus emergency health services to better meet the needs of Albertans and ensure improved access to the best health care possible,” said Dr. Chris Eagle, interim president and CEO, Acute Care Alberta.
If passed, Budget 2025 would increase funding for EMS by $56 million, with an additional $40 million to the EMS Vehicles Capital Program.
The funding will be used to replace vehicles that have reached the end of their life cycles and ensure that the fleet is properly updated and equipped to meet demand.
Work is also underway to establish a shared services entity to provide support for Alberta’s entire health care system, including provincial health agencies and service providers.
As an independent entity, it will provide necessary services such as information technology, finance and human resources functions, centralized communication functions, and IT services.
The shared services entity is expected to be operational in the summer.
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