DIDSBURY – During question period at the legislative assembly in Edmonton on Nov. 8, Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills MLA Nathan Cooper questioned the NDP government about the closure of cardiac stress testing and cardiac rehabilitation programs, as well as the loss of four beds at the Didsbury Hospital.
Cooper added that residents will now be forced to travel to Calgary to receive the same cardiac care, and will have to foot the bill.
“These closures show what happens when a health-care system doesn't have local decision making,” said Cooper. “I sincerely hope that these changes at the Didsbury Hospital don't mean the NDP government is looking to close it in the future.”
Cooper directly asked the minister of health why they are cutting programs and front-line workers in Central Alberta.
Payne, the associate minister of health, replied that in order to provide for the needs of the province, the government through Alberta Health Services is making decisions based on providing the best health care for all Albertans across the province based on local needs.
Cooper said that cardiac programs were working well in Didsbury and asked the government to reverse the “job-killing decision.”
Payne once again replied that health-care decisions are made based on the needs of the entire province.
“Our government is taking a provincewide approach to health spending as well as health programs and ensuring that health programs are available where they are needed based on the needs of the population,” said Payne.
In response to Cooper's question of whether the closures were a “long, drawn out plan” to close the Didsbury Hospital, Payne said, “Our government is committed to a strong public health- care system that is available to Albertans when and where they need it,” she said. “We are not going to make ad hoc promises like the previous government. We are going to support health care where it's needed.”
Alberta Health's Julie Kerr, senior operating officer, community, rural and mental health, Calgary Zone, told the Gazette that the Cardiac Health Program in Didsbury is being transitioned to a broader program that serves those experiencing chronic diseases such as diabetes, COPD, hypertension, arthritis and cardiac disease.
“Many discussions have occurred over the last few years between AHS, local physicians, the Highland Primary Care Network and other service providers around the need to change the Cardiac Health Program in Didsbury to be able to serve more people with various chronic illnesses,” said Kerr.
“The current cardiac rehabilitation program only supports cardiac clients. This change will support a much larger population requiring an integrated chronic disease program. Clients needing cardiac rehabilitation will continue to have access to education, exercise programming and support in self-management through the extended program.”
Kerr said that they (AHS) will work with patients with chronic disease to ensure they are provided with the services they need in either Calgary or Red Deer.
“Specific to cardiac patients, Total Cardiology in Calgary is contracted to follow up with all post-acute referrals,” she said. “They provide a streamlined process to support all clients, which includes full assessment and exercise tolerance. The patients are given their choice where they want to do their post followups, and support transition to community programs such as the one in Didsbury.”
Kerr said that costs for the programs will continue to be covered by AHS.
In response to the question of the four beds being closed, she said those beds were opened as over-capacity beds during a time of extreme capacity pressure in the area.
“The beds were not funded and were not intended to remain open permanently,” she said. “There continues to be 16 fully funded and staffed acute care beds at the facility.”
Kerr added that no employments losses will come as a result of the change to the cardiac program.
“The two staff members will be offered work in other areas of the facility,” she said.
To the question of whether or not there any plans to close the hospital in the immediate future Kerr said: “The Didsbury Hospital continues to serve a vital role in providing care in the area with a 24-hour emergency department, 16 acute care beds, public health, mental health, home care, physiotherapy and occupational therapy. Approximately $2.5 million has been invested at the site recently. This includes security upgrades, washroom upgrades, elevator upgrades, window replacement, nurse call replacement, etc.”
Cooper told the Gazette he has heard from a number of concerned residents in the area about the program closures.
“I received information that the cardiac rehabilitation and stress testing program had been cancelled at the Didsbury Hospital,” he said.
“I heard from a number of people who were involved with the program and have incredible reports of how effective and how helpful it was.
“Reports of people who firmly believe their lives were saved because of the program and some of the pre-emptive testing that resulted in care that prevented heart attacks.”
Cooper said the cardiac program in Didsbury is critical to the health of central and rural Alberta.
“There was a newspaper report recently that said that patients in Central Alberta are 70 per cent more likely to die of a heart attack than those in Calgary or Edmonton,” he said.
“And now we see the government making decisions to cut cardiac health in rural Alberta. This is certainly not a step in the right direction.”
Cooper said he is looking forward to meeting Minister of Health Sarah Hoffman directly and discussing his concerns.
“She has committed to me that she will have a meeting with me prior to the end of this legislative session and work to provide some clarity on this issue,” he said.
Didsbury resident Eunice Bullock used the service and found it extremely beneficial to her recovery from a heart attack.
The 65-year-old suffered a heart attack while travelling through Sparwood, B.C. in 2012. She was transported by air ambulance to Kelowna where she had an angioplasty with three stents put in.
“It was an excellent, excellent program,” Bullock told the Gazette. “The fact that we didn't have to travel into Calgary or any big distance was certainly a big benefit. Had I been on my own I wouldn't have made it to Calgary for it going through the winter.
“It would've been way too stressful after going through an event like that. It was a real asset for the area.”
Bullock had just moved to Didsbury with her husband to be closer to their children when she had the heart attack in B.C.
“There's another good reason for having it here in town,” she said. “It's not just the physical side – where you're getting proper training for exercise, where you're taught what you can do and how to build up to it – there's also the emotional side. It is a rather scary thing to have something happen so suddenly.”
After being released from the hospital in Kelowna she was told she needed to find a cardiologist and to get into a cardiac rehabilitation program.
“I was really pleased to find out we had one (program) here in town,” she said. “I went twice a week. It was a two-year program. Patients were educated on proper diet, safe exercise, overall lifestyle changes, and the emotional part of overcoming the fears and insecurities that follow a heart event.”
Bullock said they were given a stress test about every six months from doctors who came up from Calgary.
“Many in the program are ill and/or elderly and might not be able to travel those distances,” she said. “The stress is certainly detrimental to the health of these people. As the population ages you're going to see a bigger need for this.”
A local resident started a petition opposing the loss of the cardiac rehabilitation program in town.
Doreen Sawatzky used the program for a couple of years after suffering a heart attack in 2014 and figured she should do something so she started the petition.
“Everyone should be concerned,” Sawatzky told the Gazette. “I couldn't imagine having to go to Calgary in the wintertime and having to pay. It's stressful enough after having a heart attack.”
Sawatzky said they were able to collect over 300 signatures in five days. The petition has now been handed off to Cooper, who will bring it to the legislature.
