Premier Danielle Smith’s major overhaul of the multi-billion dollar Alberta health-care system now underway represents a seismic shift for the most important provincial government department.
The UCP government is reorganizing Alberta health care through the creation of four new specialized health agencies: mental health and additions, continuing care, acute care, and primary care.
The government has reportedly spent more than $13 million to date on the health system overall.
Whether Albertans, including in rural communities, will benefit from the restructuring project remains to be seen in the days and months ahead.
What is known now is that despite the overhaul, Alberta’s health system remains under significant and ongoing pressure more than a year after the 2023 provincial election.
For example, wait times in hospitals remain lengthy in many communities, including in this district. Many patients continue to struggle to secure a family doctor, and some rural emergency rooms have been forced to close their doors from time to time.
Now, thanks to recently released statistics, some of the costs of Smith’s health system restructure measures have been made public.
In its annual report, Alberta Health Services (AHS) reportedly says the province owes more than $9 million in severance to health employees terminated as part of the restructuring.
Specifically, seven of the senior executives terminated are owed more than $6 million in severance. In all, 33 former AHS employees have been let go, up from 23 the year previously.
Prior to the 2023 election, Danielle Smith was highly critical of some of the leadership of Alberta’s health system, especially when it came to handling of the deadly COVID-19 pandemic.
Today the premier and her cabinet colleagues are putting their health-care reform agenda into practice – impacting Alberta families, businesses and the community-at-large in the process.
Many Albertans are, quite rightly, watching closely to see if the millions and millions of taxpayers’ dollars being spent on this major health system restructure project will result in improved service and better care for patients.
Dan Singleton is an editor with the Albertan.
