EDMONTON — Health professionals from the University of Alberta Hospital released a statement on Monday, calling on the government of Alberta to walk back its decision to relocate a Family Medicine unit to a Leduc hospital. "This decision was made without transparent communication, clinical justification, or meaningful workforce planning," reads the statement signed by physicians, nurses, and allied health professionals from the hospital. "It places frail and medically complex seniors at risk and further strains a healthcare system already operating beyond safe capacity.".As reported by the Globe and Mail earlier in January, the intended relocation is a part of the province's previously announced plan to build an expanded neuro ICO at the U of A Hospital.According to Kristi Bland, a spokesperson for Alberta Health Services, the current neurological ICU does not meet standards, and the new development will elevate critical care capacity from 11 to 24 beds. To make room for the remodel, other units be relocated incrumentally. The U of A Hospital currently has two Family Medicine units, and the plan is to relocate one of them to subacute beds at the Leduc Community Hospital."The 5F2 unit provides acute medical care for patients with diverse and complex needs, including palliative care, serious infections (such as bacteremia and influenza), and multiple chronic conditions," the statement reads. "Our patient population consists predominantly of older adults with frailty, delirium, cognitive impairment, and multimorbidity."In Monday's letter, health professionals stated that relocating those beds produces risks by creating a net loss of acute beds at the U of A Hospital, loss of access to tertiary supports, barriers for patients and families, and increased patient safety risks.Additional concerns were expressed over the added stress that removing such beds would place on an already overwhelmed healthcare system.Along with displeasure with the fact that the decision was made without consultation with frontline staff and without disclosure of the information used to justify the decision.."Adding a Family Medicine Unit to Leduc provides patients more opportunity in the Edmonton area to seek this care, while also providing the needed space for the complex care required for the neuro ICU," wrote Bland to the Western Standard."Site leadership is currently reviewing plans and additional information will be shared with staff as soon as it is available."Health professionals have urged the province to pause and review the decision to relocate Family Medicine services, to cancel plans to remove the seniors' care unit, to disclose the decision-making data, and to acknowledge the risks of relocation."How a healthcare system treats its elderly population reflects its values," the statement reads. "Removing acute care for seniors without adequate planning, justification, or transparency undermines patient safety and public trust."Recognizing concerns about relocating a Family Medicine unit expressed by individuals, Bland offered a few words of security, stating that no AHS jobs will be lost from this relocation. "The Family Medicine Unit is, and will continue to be, supported by a multidisciplinary team across all disciplines including, but not limited to, physicians, managers, registered nurses, social work, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and respiratory therapy," Bland wrote."All staff will receive appropriate notice of the relocation and will be afforded rights under their respective collective agreements."
