Albertans and front-line workers have shared their perspectives to guide the next era of health care in the province, according to the newly released Lead the Way – What We Heard report. The feedback reflects input from more than 2,000 participants in a second round of public engagement earlier this year.The sessions, which followed 2024’s Shape the Way engagements, gave Albertans a chance to provide updates, suggest improvements, and highlight ways the system can better serve patients, providers, and communities. “Albertans have spoken — they want a health care system that’s easier to access, more responsive and truly connected to their communities. And that’s our priority as a government,” said Adriana LaGrange, Minister of Primary and Preventative Health Services.The report identified six key themes from the feedback: faster, fairer, and more culturally appropriate access to care, particularly in rural, remote and indigenous communities; stronger focus on prevention and public health; better coordination of staff, equipment and infrastructure; accountability and transparency; support and retention of the health care workforce; and a unified, patient-centred system..Feedback from both rounds of engagement will inform the province’s four new health agencies — Acute Care Alberta, Assisted Living Alberta, Primary Care Alberta and Recovery Alberta — as they take shape. Although this phase of engagement has ended, Albertans and health care workers will continue to have opportunities to contribute through regional advisory councils, which will influence local decision-making and the future of care.The 2025 engagement ran from January to May, including 64 in-person sessions across the province (63 in English and one in French) and seven virtual sessions (six in English and one in French). In total, 2,035 Albertans participated, helping shape the priorities of Alberta’s evolving health care system.
