(rdnewsNOW file photo)

By rdnewsNOW staff

Healthcare refocus

Province announces EMS to move from AHS to Acute Care Alberta

Mar 11, 2025 | 11:44 AM

Alberta’s Emergency Medical Services (EMS) will transition to Acute Care Alberta beginning on April 1, marking another step forward in the province’s health care refocusing initiative.

The provincial government says it has been working on the refocused health care system since Nov. 2023, and have made significant progress.

At the beginning of April, AHS EMS will move from the health authority to a service delivery provider under the new agency, Acute Care Alberta.

The move, the province says, is meant to provide better overall care to Albertans. In addition to transitioning AHS emergency health services to Acute Care Alberta, they’ll also invest more into EMS and form a shared services entity to support provincial health agencies.

“From the beginning of our refocusing efforts, we’ve emphasized the importance of creating organizations dedicated to specific sectors, allowing health care workers to focus on what they do best. By moving emergency health services to Acute Care Alberta, I am confident it will receive the focused attention needed to deliver the care Albertans deserve,” said Adriana LaGrange, Minister of Health.

WHAT TO KNOW

Here's what to know about advance voting in Canada's 2025 federal election

10h ago

CITY HALL

Construction returning to downtown Medicine Hat

Apr 17, 2025

WHAT'S ON

Here is what's on this weekend in Medicine Hat and area: April 17-20

Apr 17, 2025

The change to Acute Care Alberta emergency health services will work to create better care, efficiency, and response times across the province, say government officials. They will also be accountable to driving system requirements, meeting performance targets, concentrating on workforce sustainability and well-being for both staff and patients to better serve Albertans.

“We are progressing significantly toward making Acute Care Alberta operational, and I’m pleased to see this important step moving forward,” said Dr. Chris Eagle, interim president and CEO, Acute Care Alberta.

“These changes will help refocus emergency health services to better meet the needs of Albertans and ensure improved access to the best health care possible.”

The Government of Alberta also increased funding for EMS by $56 million through this year’s provincial budget, if passed.

The funding was made available to ensure fast and reliable emergency care. This includes equipping paramedics with state-of-the-art vehicles to deliver emergency care as quickly and effectively as possible.

If passed, the provincial budget will also include an additional $40 million towards a total investment of $60 million over three years to the EMS Vehicles Capital Program. This will be used to replace older vehicles and also ensure the equipment is up to date to meet the needs of Albertans, say government officials.

This investment is expected to also support efforts to decrease response times by improving the reliability of paramedics, which will help make sure patients can be transported quickly to emergency rooms, urgent care centres or specialized care facilities.

“Maintaining an effective EMS fleet is paramount to providing care to Albertans. We appreciate the commitment from the Alberta government to ensuring our ambulances and equipment are ready to provide the best service across the province,” said Marty Scott, executive director, EMS provincial programs, Alberta Health Services.

The province says this means fewer delays and a healthcare system that can handle the demands of the province’s growing population, and ensure high-quality care for all.

“The association applauds the government’s continued commitment to EMS infrastructure. These investments are a positive step forward and will significantly contribute to the enhancement of Alberta’s front-line paramedics to meet the ever-growing service demands for high-quality care,” said Len Stelmaschuk, advanced care paramedic and president, Alberta Paramedic Association.

Alberta’s government says it is also planning to establish a shared services entity to provide support for Alberta’s entire health care system, including provincial health agencies and service providers. As an independent entity, it would be expected to provide necessary services like information technology, finance and human resources functions, along with centralized communications functions like web, digital communications and marketing. It’s expected to be operational by summer 2025.

In response, Mike Parker, President of the Health Sciences Association of Alberta released a statement this announcement was about changing letterhead, not changing lives.

“Frontline paramedics need better vehicles. They need better equipment. But more than anything, they need backup. They need more on the frontlines, in those vehicles, using that equipment. No one calling 9-1-1 is worried about whether its EMS or AHS or Acute Care Alberta. They’re worried about who is arriving and how long it’s going to take,” he said.

Parker also points out the government didn’t say how many more staff would be introduced into the system and when the new ambulances will be ordered, arrived, and deployed.

“Emergency services professionals hope this refocusing will mean more health care professionals but that was not clear today,” he added.

“Paramedics are burning out at alarming rate. We’re seeing ambulances called from further and further away. We’re seeing mass casualty stretchers in ambulance bays because emergency rooms are full. So today, I have a recommendation for the report that’s sitting on the Minister’s desk: invest in staff. Pay them better, treat them better. Retain them, recruit them, and above all, respect them.”