Improving our health care system continues to be a top priority for the constituents of Calgary Fish Creek and Albertans. Over the years, health care costs continue to increase without good outcomes, waiting times continue to rise, and finding a family doctor continues to be a problem. We have all heard the health horror stories – examples where people cannot get the care they need in a timely fashion. In recent years, Albertans have invested more and more money in health care programs, but the results have not been there. Simply put, our health care system needs to change and Albertans have always been willing to try new things. For most Albertans our current system is quite simply, ineffective. Albertans deserve a patient driven health care system that is centered on their direct needs rather than a bureaucracy that continues to tell people what they want instead of asking what can be done to improve our health care system. The first step to reforming Alberta’s health care system is a commitment from the provincial government to do so. The second step is to consult with stakeholders, doctors, nurses, health care workers, patients, etc. to identify the problems that impede the efficiency of the health care system. The third step is to educate the public on the necessary changes, why the changes are needed and what the changes intend to achieve. Achieving these goals in our health care system means the priorities in government must change. First and foremost we need to focus on the patient. Ensuring they get treated quickly gets them healthier faster. Patients need choice in the system, choice allows them to choose their health care provider. This can only be achieved by having a report card on our health care providers and hospitals. When we talk about health care reform, we can’t just focus on buildings like hospitals and medical clinics. It also needs to look at things like home care so that people can receive high quality care in their homes and community. Our health care system needs to look at performance-based outcomes, instead of just responding to the latest crisis. Our health care system needs to look at how we invest in new technologies so that we can improve the quality of care that people receive, without unnecessary duplication and waste. We need to develop a health care job strategy to help fill the gaps that will develop as workers retire. Finally, we also need to recognize the important role that health care workers and professionals in a variety of places play, and have meaningful discussions with them so that we can remove the bottlenecks and obstacles that do exist in the system – and frustrate patients and health care providers in the process. Diagnostic equipment and operating rooms can and should be running full time. Constituents have indicated to me they are not opposed to getting an MRI or being operated on – no matter what time it is. Home care and palliative care services need to be increased. Patients heal much faster at home with the proper care and have the right to die at home circled by those they love and the comfort of their surroundings. Also, patients at home should be entitled to the same pharmaceutical benefits they would receive while they were in the hospital. Students graduating from the Universities of Alberta & Calgary medical schools should receive priority admissions to residency programs within Alberta in an effort to retain students who have grown up and trained here. Those who complete their medical residency within the province and continue to practice in Alberta for a period of 5 years shall be eligible for a retention bonus. Practicing physicians who choose to move to Alberta to practice in an area of need (i.e. family medicine, rural location) shall be eligible for a signing bonus. The delivery of our health care system needs to be made at a local level and not by bureaucrats in Edmonton. Hospital Health Care Boards are the ones who should be making decisions as they know the local needs. A committee with health care experts, stakeholders and citizens needs to be established to determine when new drugs are available and if they should be provided to Albertans. Also, a panel of experts needs to be consulted to deal with life saving matters outside the province. Health care reform continues to evolve and change rapidly. It is imperative for the government to keep on top of this. A Health Care Secretariat needs to be established to monitor our system on “what is new, what needs to be changed and what needs to happen” to meet the needs of Albertans. I understand health care is an expensive proposition I also know it is important to be ahead of changes instead of behind. I also know keeping people healthy, happy and productive will end up costing less in the long run. The most urgent and critical issue that needs to be addressed immediately is capacity, capacity, capacity. The recommended solution is 1.9 acute care beds/per 1,000. Calgary is currently around 1.2 acute care beds/per 1,000. These are just some of the things that any discussion on health care must address – while protecting the universal access that Albertans value so dearly. Your comments, ideas and suggestions are what will make our health care reform successful. Please feel free to email with your thoughts. Together we can make our health care system work.