“While this is an important first step, this is the UCP putting a bandage on the crisis they created,” said Metz. NDP health critic Luanne Metz said the announcement is an admission that the United Conservative Party government’s expansion of private lab services has failed. “Without a sustained investment to strengthen the public system to address the gaps caused by for-profit laboratory services, the crisis will worsen as staff burnout spreads.” “Since Dynalife took over community lab services, Albertans have faced unacceptable health impacts, and our members have experienced severe stress from excessive overtime due to the backlog from lack of access to laboratory services,” association president Mike Parker said in a release. The Health Sciences Association of Alberta said its members have been working overtime and extra time to help fill the gap in lab testing and it has taken a toll. HSAA, Alberta NDP criticize expansion of private lab services “At this point in time, we want to make sure that we have short-term solutions that we can then work towards long-term stability.” “Nothing is off the table, as I’ve said, but right now I can’t speak to that,” said LaGrange. “In the long-term, we’ll work towards something where there’s more stability in the system.” “In the short term, we will provide the necessary appointments that are needed by Albertans, particularly in Calgary and the south area. “This is an important next step to increasing the number of appointments that are available to Albertans, because we need to ensure that they have timely access to appointments,” LaGrange said Thursday in an interview. Health Minister Adriana LaGrange said Alberta Precision Laboratories is also working on extending hours, hiring other third-party providers and opening or expanding satellite centres in and around Calgary to add 7,500 appointments per week, which would represent a 25 per cent increase in the area. The change is part of an arrangement worked out between Alberta Precision Labs and Dynalife, the private provider that handles the bulk of community lab appointments in Alberta.Īlberta Precision Laboratories is part of Alberta Health Services and mainly handles lab tests in hospitals and urgent care centres. Another 175 appointments are to open a week after that in Calgary at the Foothills Medical Centre.
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