Alberta acknowledges concerns about ER demands — will not declare a state of emergency

The Alberta government acknowledged concerns about long wait times in hospital emergency departments but disputed doctors' calls to declare a state of emergency, according to a statement issued Thursday. "Like other provinces, Alberta is experiencing higher patient volumes due to respiratory virus season," reads a statement from the Ministry of Hospital and Surgical Health Services. "An early and unusually large flu spike in mid-December added pressure to hospitals with more patients requiring care and hospitalization that we're currently seeing.".A Globe and Mail article published on Wednesday reported that ER doctors across Edmonton are calling on the provincial government to help address the overwhelming patient volume by declaring a state of emergency. "We’re operating in disaster mode everyday,” reads a quote from Paul Parks, president-elect of the emergency physicians section of the Alberta Medical Association, in the article.“We’re at this point where the only way that we can safely take care of new patients coming in is we have to activate an emergency plan.”Doctors argued that declaring a state of emergency would allow hospitals to take steps such as opening additional beds in different wards or transferring patients from Northern Alberta, who are currently sent to Edmonton for specialized treatment, to open spaces in Calgary. ."The system is using all available resources; calls for a ‘public health state of emergency’ are misguided and would add nothing to what is already being done," wrote Maddison McKee, press secretary for Minister of Primary and Preventative Health Services Adraina LaGrange."Comparisons to the pandemic emergency of 2020 are not based on evidence.”The NDP MLAs criticized the UCP government for what they view as mismanagement of Alberta's health-care system. "We’re approaching the one-year anniversary of the CorruptCare Scandal — where allegations surfaced that the UCP pressured Alberta Health Services into signing bloated contracts for private surgical facilities — and our health-care system is in more chaos than ever," reads the joint statement from Sarah Hoffman, Shadow Minister for Hospital and Surgical Health Facilities; and Sharif Haji, Shadow Minister for Primary and Preventative Health Services.Despite the current troubles, the provincial government is "cautiously optimistic" that although facilities will remain busy, there may be some light at the end of the tunnel."We are working closely with Acute Care Alberta and health care providers to coordinate provincially, regionally and locally, so that resources are available where and when they're needed," the ministry's statement reads.In Edmonton, measures include accelerating patient discharge and transfers where appropriate, reserving 336 beds for the respiratory season, and opening surge spaces to accommodate increased demand..The provincial government has taken steps in recent months to make a long-term dent in hospital wait times, including working with Assisted Living Alberta to transfer patients no longer requiring acute care from hospital beds to community care."These efforts are paying off, with the number of Alternate Level of Care patients (ALCs) in the province decreasing approximately 20% since September — the equivalent of adding the Red Deer Hospital Expansion to the system. ALC numbers in Edmonton have decreased 22%," the ministry's statement reads.Additional measures through the Acute Care Action Plan include plans to build 1,000 new beds through new towers at two Edmonton hospitals and one in Calgary. Along with the selection of a site to build a new Stollery Hospital.The Ministry of Assisted Living and Social Services has also committed an initial $400 million to add 1500 new continuing care spaces in Alberta communities..Concerns about hospital wait times were amplified following the death of Prashant Sreekumar, a 44-year-old father, who died of cardiac arrest while waiting in the ER at Grey Nuns Community Hospital for eight hours before receiving treatment. The province has since issued condolences for Sreekumar's family and said that an investigation will be conducted to understand the circumstances and possible contributing factors that led to his death.