EDMONTON — A government-appointed review panel is recommending a patient charter be created to guide Albertans on what to expect from the health system.
The report says the patient charter should be developed in consultation with Albertans.
The report also calls for an Alberta health act that would “reflect a publicly funded health system that is accessible to all regardless of ability to pay.”
Review panel co-chair Deborah Prowse says Albertans repeatedly said they felt they weren’t being adequately consulted on the direction of health care.
The 16-member panel spent a year gathering data mainly through an Internet survey.
The report has been presented to Health Minister Gene Zwozdesky, who will review the recommendations before commenting.
TUES ITEM:
A government-appointed committee is recommending that Alberta create its own health act and a patient charter.
The Canadian Press has learned that a key recommendation to be released Wednesday is the creation of an Alberta Health Act.
A source says the Alberta act would be “fully compliant with the Canada Health Act.”
The provincial act would simply merge several existing pieces of health-care legislation that have not been updated for decades.
The committee will present its recommendations to Health Minister Gene Zwozdesky on Wednesday, but the provincial cabinet will make the final decision on whether to adopt the changes.
The source says although a patient charter is recommended, the details of what this might include would be left to the government.