Since December the number of patients waiting to leave hospital for a more appropriate setting has shrunk by 30 per cent, says the province.
Almost half of these patients are transferred to settings outside the hospital within seven days and the majority are transferred within 25 days. However, there are many patients who are experiencing delays and staying in hospitals much longer than require.
If passed, the 2024-25 provincial budget commits $1 billion over three years towards continuing care in Alberta.
The province has also allocated $654 million in funding over three years for the Continuing Care Capital Program to improve access to continuing care spaces for Albertans, including those who no longer need to stay at a hospital but require support. Additional spaces are being created in priority communities, including delivering culturally appropriate care for Indigenous residents on and off reserves and Metis Settlements.
“As the demand for continuing care is expected to increase, we are making investments that will result in our continuing care system becoming more sustainable and responsive while addressing existing pressures on our acute care system,” said Health Minister Adriana LaGrange, in a statement.
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Alberta Health; Seniors, Community and Social Services; and Mental Health and Addiction, together with Alberta Health Services, are working to find new settings for patients. Work includes:
• Tactical teams, including members from each department, focused on removing barriers and providing supports for patients facing personal challenges obtaining care in an appropriate setting.
• A Specialized Patient Flow Improvement Team to review hospital patient flow and processes from hospital admission to discharge to find improvements.
• Home care providers that collaborate to get patients back to their homes sooner by customizing services and supports.
Temporary continuing care spaces are also being created for patients awaiting assessment and transfer to continuing care. These new spaces will free up hospital beds and reduce emergency room and surgery wait times.
Nine new spaces were added at Seasons Encore in Olds on March 1 and will remain operational for 12 months.
An additional 150 temporary spaces have been created over the past five months, and by early 2025 a total of 1,050 additional spaces will be operational.
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Lori Sigurdson, Alberta NDP Critic for Seniors Issues, Continuing Care and Homecare, said pressures on Alberta’s continuing care system are immense, but the government will fall short of their own acknowledged need of 10,000 new spaces in the next three years.
“The lack of spaces means pressures on our hospitals will continue. There simply will not be the spaces available for people to move out of hospital care into continuing care,” said Sigurdson, adding there are many unanswered questions about ensuring affordable public spaces are available.
There is also a dire shortage of caregivers for long-term facilities, she added.