Health care items

By The Canadian Press

Changes coming to Alberta’s medical services in 2020

Dec 30, 2019 | 4:37 PM

EDMONTON — Alberta’s medical system is getting prepped for some major surgery in 2020.

Health Minister Tyler Shandro says one critical piece will be the release in January of a third-party report on Alberta Health Services.

The report will address roles and responsibilities, come up with ways to find savings and review the relationship with private facilities contracted out to do work paid for by the public system.

Shandro says he expects the report to recommend some significant changes in the relationship between A-H-S and his department.

Other changes are coming, too.

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Shandro’s department intends to implement new fee rules for doctors, including how long a physician must see a patient before claiming an add-on fee for complex consultations.

Some doctors say the changes may force them to reduce the amount of time they can see patients in order to recoup funding.

Nurses and other unionized health support workers have been warned that layoffs could begin in 2020, as the province grapples with high deficits and rising costs.

The government has already announced it will be relying more on privately run clinics to reduce wait times for surgeries, but says Albertans will not be paying out of pocket.