Need for Hospital Expansion
IT IS THEREFORE RESOLVED THAT the AUMA urge Government of Alberta to consider reinstating the Red Deer Regional Hospital to the capital priorities list as identified in the 2015 Capital Submission for the purpose of ensuring timely and accessible health service equity for the citizens of the Central Zone.
WHEREAS the Municipal Government Act charges municipalities to provide and sustain a good quality of life for all citizens;
WHEREAS health care is an essential quality of life marker for citizens;
WHEREAS the Red Deer Regional Hospital plays an essential role within Alberta Health Services and the Central Alberta zone as a primary health service provider for our citizens and regional population;
WHEREAS Red Deer Regional Hospital is the fourth busiest hospital in ALL of Alberta and the busiest referral hospital in All of Alberta;
WHEREAS Red Deer has immediate access to over 81 per cent of Alberta's 4 million population within a two hour drive and is a commercial and industrial hub with an immediate trade area of 271,000 people and thus the hospital services much more than a regional population;
WHEREAS in a December 2015 Needs Assessment[1] of the Red Deer Regional Hospital, Alberta Health Services stated that:
“Programs which are operating either at or beyond capacity within the Central Zone have been targeted, analyzed and described in this Needs Assessment.
These programs are as follows:
- Interventional and Procedural Services
- Ambulatory Care Services
- Emergency Services
- Addiction and Mental Health Services
- Cardiac Science Services
- Clinical Support Services
- Maternal Child Services
- Non-clinical Support Services
WHEREAS Red Deer Regional Hospital was previously identified in Government of Alberta infrastructure priorities as the 4th in a list of 17 priorities[2];
WHEREAS in the 2016 Alberta Health Services Multi-Year Facility Infrastructure Capital Submission[3], the Red Deer Regional Hospital is no longer identified in the list of priorities and was excluded from capital funding;
WHEREAS strong community, physician and Red Deer Regional Hospital Foundation support for capital hospital expansion in the Central Zone has been identified;
WHEREAS 56% of the Hospital’s patients consistently ARE NOT FROM RED DEER;
WHEREAS there is a 50-60% higher mortality rate in the Central Zone due to transportation and rehabilitation issues; and
WHEREAS a fully functional Red Deer Regional Hospital benefits all Albertans.
[1] Alberta Health Services Needs Assessment: Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre Service & Program Expansion, December `2015
[2] Alberta Health Services 2015 Multi-Year Facility Infrastructure Capital Submission, July 13, 2015
[3] 2016 Multi-Year Facility Infrastructure Capital Submission, December 2016
o In February 2018 the Minister indicated that the capital list is maintained by Alberta Health Services and encouraged us to reach out to Minister Hoffman. o In August 2018 the Minister of Health indicated that the province was working on a Central Zone Healthcare Plan and a refresh of the Red Deer Regional Hospital Needs Assessment which was to be done in a few months.
- A letter enclosing the resolution has been forwarded to the Minister responsible. Once AUMA receives a response, further action will be taken as required.
- A follow-up email was sent to the Minister of Health in May 2018 outlining the resolution. • The province announced as part of Budget 2018 $1 million for a feasibility study on the Red Deer Hospital. • At the AUMA Convention in 2018 the Minister once again emphasized the new money being allocated to the feasibility study and said it would allow them to hit the ground running when the money came through. • In December 2018 the project was returned to the capital list from Alberta Health. • In February 2019 then Minister of Health Sarah Hoffman and Premier Notley indicated that the project would be completed after the election. • This is an issue that will be raised with the new Minister of Health. • Accepted response from the Minister of Infrastructure. • Considered response from Minister of Health.