EDMONTON - People with unresolved issues over continuing care in Alberta will soon be able to voice their concerns to health-care specialists.
Starting on July 7, Albertans will be able to call a central intake phone line to speak with two experts about problems that haven’t been resolved with front-line staff.
The two specialists will report to AHS president and CEO Vickie Kaminski, who says people should still go to staff at care centres first for their concerns and if they can’t, that’s when they should call the line.
She said the clinicians will also be identifying common issues.
As for cost, the phone line will be an extra one through HealthLink and the two specialists are already current employees.
Along with weekly meetings, the program will be evaluated after six months.
“Are staff stressed, are families not given the time they need to make plans for the transition? We’ve been accused of bullying patients into making decisions and we just really want to ease back on all of that and say let’s be more patient and family-centred and focused,” Kaminski said.
(CFFR)