Albertans are wondering if another reorganization of their health-care system will improve service.
While some say the new “superboard” that will replace nine regional health boards could streamline the system and offer uniformity of service, others think it will continue the trend of medical workers moving to cities and avoiding rural areas.
Health minister Ron Liepert, who announced the change May 15 in the Alberta legislature, said it would bring seamless service across the province.
“MLAs have brought to me instances of where one side of the road in one of the regions delivers services different than people who live on the other side of the road,” Liepert said.
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A seven-member panel has been appointed to handle the transition to the 15-member board, which is expected to be in place by the end of the year. The superboard will report to the health minister.
The province plans to appoint voluntary community health councils to alert the board to the needs of different areas.
Liberal health critic Dave Taylor said the government decentralized care from the health department and hospital boards more than a decade ago when it set up 17 health regions, then trimmed them to nine and now back to one. He said there is no evidence this latest reorganization will improve access or provide better quality, cost effective health care.
NDP health critic Rachel Notley said she wonders how the new board will enhance recruitment of medical staff, when the system is going to be in upheaval for the next while.
However, Liepert said only health managers will be affected. Front-line staff who patients see will continue working as before.
Dr. All Garbutt, president of the Alberta Section of Rural Medicine, which represents rural doctors, said whether the superboard works to help areas outside the cities depends on “how far down the chain you allow independent action …. We haven’t heard anything about new money. I don’t even know who I would go to for approval of a new idea.”
Garbutt said the other issue for rural doctors is staff. With the service industry paying good wages, hospitals are finding it difficult to attract people to work in their kitchens, laundry and in housekeeping, especially when they deal with blood and vomit.
