Albertans Want Healthcare Done Right
Ill-informed and reckless upheaval of our healthcare system, as the Premier is proposing, will only drive up costs and decrease the care Albertans need. There are 2 factors we must consider:
1. Quality
Quality healthcare is safe, timely, effective, efficient, equitable and patient-centred.
Team-based care, with interdisciplinary primary care teams working together, can deliver effective care and treatment in a wider variety of sites outside a hospital setting - providing better outcomes, lower costs and greater patient satisfaction.
Unfortunately, it is impossible to provide high-quality care in an environment where those on the front lines feel unwell, unsafe or have consistently negative experiences in their work environment. This needs to change.
Some services, although proven to be effective and provide good value for money, are not publicly funded, like dental care and eye care, and we should be looking at this carefully.
To improve the quality and affordability of healthcare, the Alberta Party will partner with health professionals, associations, and patients to raise awareness of evidence-based best practices and put them in action.
2. Cost
The biggest cost drivers in the health system are hospitals, pharmaceuticals and physician services. The costs of pharmaceuticals continue to rise.
The establishment of a national pharmacare program could bring substantial benefits for health outcomes and reduce national spending on drugs.
Another way to reduce costs is in the investment of wellness programs that help Albertans get, and stay, healthy - reducing the need for costly, critical care services. The Alberta Party will create a Wellness Foundation to support wellness initiatives.