Opinion: Emergency departments are the lighthouses of our health care system. But the lights are starting to flicker ERs are a safety net for those who lack primary care, have substance use disorders or are unhoused. They are meant to be open every hour of every day, no matter what

Very thoughtful piece. Lots we can learn from Denmark - even from local CDN pilots - about ERs. But we struggle to spread and scale good ideas. Emergency departments are the lighthouses of our health care system. But the lights are starting to flicker.

www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/arti...

Health experts say dual practice will backfire, Smith says 'they're wrong' - Medicine Hat News zmason@medicinehatnews.com Health and labour groups from across the country signed an open letter this week asking the federal government to intervene in Alberta’s plan to adopt a dual-practice health...

Published in the Medicine Hat News - Premier’s back yard.

medicinehatnews.com/news/local-n...

Doctors, health groups warn Alberta’s ‘dual practice’ health plan could worsen wait times Several national health groups warn Alberta’s plan to let doctors work in both public and private health systems could worsen wait times.

“Our priority is the public system”, says Premier Smith. Ummm. Highly doubt that. If it was, you would implement evidence-based solutions.

www.ctvnews.ca/calgary/arti...

Province looking to cut admin jobs with Health Shared Services Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said the province will be looking to scale back administrative positions with the establishment of its new Health Shared Services.

As health system admin costs have apparently doubled since the refocusing…. Now we hear they will cut admin. So which is it? More admin or less admin, or you just don’t know?

www.ctvnews.ca/edmonton/art...

A parallel private-pay system will worsen access to publicly funded surgery Key points The government of Alberta recently announced legislative changes allowing patients to self-refer and pay out of pocket for diagnostic and testing services covered by publicly funded health ...

In a time where we seem to ignore the lessons history has taught us, here we go again ignoring the evidence.

www.cmaj.ca/content/198/...

Opinion: When ideology trumps evidence in health care, everyone pays Correcting course starts with transparency, evidence-based policy, and a willingness to adapt, even if it means letting go of ideology.

Summer has been quiet on the contracting out scandal - i wonder when rhe next shor will drop calgaryherald.com/opinion/colu...

Opinion: Province needs to make realistic investments in team-based primary health care Team-based primary care offers benefits for patients, health care providers and the health care system overall, but it needs to be properly funded to deliver results.

Completely agree. Team-based primary care is the way to reduce the number of Albertans without primary care. AB missed a huge opportunity to move this forward with the new family doctor funding model. As often occurs, the focus has continued to be doctors.

edmontonjournal.com/opinion/colu...

Opinion: It's time to rebuild public health services in Alberta We owe it to future generations to restore a system that protects not just the sick, but the health of all.

80+% of our health is driven by public health - not health care. Somehow the UCP has convinced many Albertans that public health is dangerous. It’s time to change that narrative
edmontonjournal.com/opinion/colu...

Opinion: One inquiry to rule them all; separate probes into Alberta Health decisions limit transparency Opinion: The case for a public inquiry

The public needs to write letters to their (UCP) MLAs who will have to put pressure on cabinet if a public inquiry is going to happen. Speak to your neighbour.

calgaryherald.com/opinion/colu...

Opinion: What's next in for-profit care in Alberta? Your local hospital? 25 years after Klein passed Bill 11, that opened the door to more private for-profit involvement in health care, the UCP is at it again.

Bill 55 - enabling the final refocus - privatizing Alberta's hospitals. For-profit labs and surgical contracting out hasn't gone well - let's try hospitals. Thanks @pfparks.bsky.social and @jmeddings.bsky.social - we're only two years in. How bad could this get?

edmontonjournal.com/opinion/colu...

Opinion: Former top doc Mark Joffe speaks out on why Albertans should care about measles Measles is a highly infectious and serious disease, and entirely preventable. Alberta’s current outbreak of measles should concern us all.

Former Alberta CMOH Dr. Mark Joffe speaks out on why people should care about #measles. Measles is a highly infectious, serious disease, and preventable. The current outbreak should concern us all. calgaryherald.com/opinion/colu... via @calgaryherald.com @bradenmannsyyc.bsky.social #vaccination

Opinion: Why contracting out surgeries is no panacea Is contracting out more surgical services the fix we need?

In the midst of this scandal, its important to remember that the evidence doesn’t support contracting out surgeries in the first place - especially if there are empty ORs in rhe public system edmontonjournal.com/opinion/colu...

Danielle Smith calls for expedited review of ‘troubling allegations’ at Alberta’s health authority The Premier says she was not involved in any wrongdoing, and has ordered her staff to co-operate fully with the Auditor-General’s review

www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/alber... Can someone (or @Donbraid explain the difference in scope, authority and who can order an Auditor general report, vs public inquiry vs RCMP investig’n. Wylie’s office is tiny - not sure it has the resources for this. More than AHS needs review

Braid: Smith denies wrongdoing in health contract charges, Nenshi cries cover-up Premier Danielle Smith's UCP in trouble over allegation of improper contacts, political meddling in private surgeries. Need public inquiry.

calgaryherald.com/opinion/colu.... I was standing beside Dr John Cowell when the Premier called him and told him to fire Deena Hinshaw. She denied that too. I have zero confidence in her denials.

Alberta Auditor-General confirms probe into government health contracts after allegations of interference Critics call for RCMP investigation after ousted AHS executive’s letter alleged government officials meddled in procurement

This is like watching Severance. A bit disturbing, a little confusing, but I can’t wait to see what happens next. www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/alber...

So this is the explanation for Smith getting pushed out of government, CEO getting axed, Board getting fired. Thanks for clarifying these unanswered questions. Who’s next?

Wow. This seems unbelievable - but so believable. Just everyone is clear, all the chartered surgical facility AHS contracts were directed by the Alberta Health contracting secretariat.

Albertans deserved a post-pandemic review. Instead, they got misinformation cloaked in science The Alberta COVID-19 Pandemic Data Review Task Force report is littered with anti-science talking points, many already debunked by fact-checkers

AB released its COVID review last week. Today it fired the AHS board, again... Deputy Minister of Health Tremblay is now AHS CEO and reports to himself as the Official Administrator. Not a good week for Albertans and their health.
www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/alber...

Opinion: Time for a deal on Pathways Alliance's carbon capture project "Climate change is definitely impacting our health, and health-care systems. ... So why doesn’t a Pathways Alliance deal get done?"

You know when you write something knowing there isn't a snowball's chance in hell of it having an impact? The effort required for AHS to evacuate and care for all Albertans in the face of climate disasters is staggering - thanks AHS

edmontonjournal.com/opinion/colu...