OP-ED: Alberta needs rapid health reform
Bacchus Barua writes, "The new year began with doctors calling for a 'state of emergency' in Alberta’s emergency rooms."
Author: Bacchus Barua
The new year began with doctors calling for a “state of emergency” in Alberta’s emergency rooms. Intensive care unit capacity was at 97 percent, with the Alberta Medical Association reporting some hospital wards operating between 110-170 percent capacity. Media have reported on multiple stories about some patients dying while waiting for treatment, and many close calls.
The government has begun a “provincewide response”, including diverting less critical patients away from ERs, but the primary issue remains unaddressed: the system needs reform. The government has made some very good announcements about forthcoming changes, but they need to be expedited.
