Doctors say that Alberta’s health system in ‘anarchy’ as reorganization, says Doctor

Nearly two years after the Alberta government announced its comprehensive plans for restructuring health care in the province, changes continue and some health workers say they are still struggling with demand on the frontline.

According to the Government of Alberta, over 16,000 Alberta Health Services Staff members have been transferred to four new health agencies (acute care Alberta, primary care Alberta, Recovery Alberta and Assisted Living Alberta) since the announcement of restructuring in November 2023.

But changes do not stop there.

Five health areas have so far been replaced by seven health corridors.

Several additional organizations will be formed later this year to maintain cancer care, organ donation and transplant care and emergency services.

And Premier Daniel Smith has limited the details after last month, after announcing plans to decentralize the decision making power and move it to the hospital level.

“It is pure chaos,” Dr. Alberta Medical Association’s previous Chairman Dr. Paul Parks said.

“Middle management leaders have no clue in all ways to the top to the top to what is going on.”

Parks working as an emergency room doctor in Medicine Hat said that important decisions are not being made and they are concerned about the care of the patient.

“When we ask for the plan and say what is the plan, what is the change management plan … where are we going? What is the roadmap, no one. Nobody, zero,” he said.

“It is affecting our ability to safely and provide timely care to Albertons.”

Parks recently pointed to concerns, by other doctors, raised about patients Except emergency room Before receiving care due to prolonged waiting time, as an example. The provincial government has pushed back against some claims.

“As anarchy continues … Our manpower is a challenge. We do not have enough people in front of people. The leadership does not know if they are going to work in next week or two and are able to decide, which will influence (this),” Parks said.

He is also concerned about coordination between new agencies.

Heather Smith, president of Alberta United Nurses, said that many organizations in some hospitals are working under one roof.

She describes the entire reorganization as “destabilizing”.

Smith said, “Most of the health care workers will focus on today’s work-try to deal with the absence of resources they need, due to their shift-and lack of investment.

“But, how is it all going to work a big plan in terms of?”

More than 16,000 health workers affected

According to the government of Alberta, more than 10,000 AHS employees moved to the recovery of Alberta in September 2024.

Between February and April, 5,660 staff members moved to primary care Alberta. Another 425 posts moved to Alberta, an acute care in early April and 90 was shifted to the Assisted Living Alberta on 1 July.

Smith said, “While the government is separating Alberta Health Services, is not investing in it, but health care workers are trying to navigate in their own way on day-to-day basis and are waiting for the next political decision on who will employ them.”

According to Smith, about 6,000 nurses have been affected so far.

AHS, once a single health authority, being disintegrated and covenant health will be re -accused for the role of hospital care provider along with other organizations.

He said, “There is no real deviation in the context of policies and activities at this point. But, I think each of these new employer institutions attempted to make their mark, which can change,” she said.

According to Smith, Nurses’ Pachek is still coming from AHS. He does not expect that it will change by January 2026.

Health access improves, government says

The Ministry of Primary and Preventive Health Services said that more employees transfer are coming and this movement is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

The government said three additional agencies, cancer care, transplant care and emergency services, will also be launched at the end of this year.

A ministry official said in an email, “A clear, phased plan is guiding how the system will operate,” an email said that this information is being shared, “said in an email.

“Each of the four new provincial health agencies (Phas) – including Acute Care Alberta – is a defined mandate and is responsible for planning and distributing services within its area, with inspection and strategic direction provided by the concerned ministries.”

Acute Care Alberta, Primary Care Alberta, Recovery Alberta and Assisted Living Alberta falls under each A separate ministry And an integration council has been established.

The statement said that its role is to promote alignment, improve care infections and ensure frequent service distribution.

“The change of this scale takes time, but progress is going well.”

The statement said that Alberta is also going from five health areas to seven regional corridors and is working to work and also integrate them.

Meanwhile, the Alberta government says that the health system is improving. For example, it was said that 318, 601 surgery was completed in the financial year of 2024-25, which was crossing the highest number and government target on records. The number of nurses and doctors is also increasing, it said

As Provincial dataIn May 2025, 41.8 percent of the patients were waiting for more than the recommended for surgery than 36.6 percent during May 2024.