Will Alberta’s public-private health approach actually reduce wait times?
Global News
Health experts are divided on whether allowing surgeons to work in the public and private health systems simultaneously will shorten wait-lists.
The Alberta government is hoping to speed up the queue for Albertans waiting for surgery by introducing Bill 11 — legislation that would allow some doctors to work in both the public and private health-care systems simultaneously.
According to the Alberta Surgical Initiative Dashboard, as of September, about 83,000 Albertans are on a surgery wait list.
That’s a roughly 4,000-person jump compared with September 2024, and a roughly 6,900-person jump from September 2023.
Of those on a list, about 43 per cent waited longer than the recommended target times.
The governing United Conservative Party tabled Bill 11 in late November.
Weeks later, experts are still divided on what this plan will do.
Nadeem Esmail, health policy director at the Fraser Institute, believes the province is taking a step in the right direction.
He says some surgeons are willing to work more and want to earn extra pay, and are waiting for access to surgical rooms.
