Alberta invests $330 to rural health care upgrades

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Alberta unveils a plan in its 2025 budget plan that will fund rural health programs as part of its commitment to rural health care over the next three years.

The province announced in a press conference on Monday that it would create a rural hospital NNHancement program designed to improve rural healthcare facilities if the 2025 budget is passed. The province has donated $15 million to the program’s planning funds. Rural hospitals have been evaluated to determine the best capital planning solutions required by rural communities.

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Health Minister Adriana Lagrange said the first phase of the plan will evaluate 20 selected health facilities based on factors such as age, population needs and available services within the region. The assessment will be completed later this spring, with the first phase expected to be completed in the fall. As early as 2026, projects with design and construction funding will be considered.

“Having such a program ensures an integrated data-driven approach to health system planning,” Lagrangian said.

Asked how the province plans to address the hospital’s existing staff shortage, Lagranges said partial upgrades to rural facilities are needed to attract new doctors to rural communities and ensure they have “the most modern equipment.”

Covenant Health CEO Patrick Dumelie said the province has had “great success” in rural recruitment and reduced vacancies by about 42% in facilities.

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“This is partly because the resources (provided) of the government support us in growing and retaining our staff. But infrastructure is equally important from the perspective of having spaces to provide care, both of which are the kind of care environments we recruit to rural (communities) people who will serve themselves,” Dumelie said. ”

The remaining $315 million budget of rural health care commitments will be used for existing health care programs and programs in rural communities outside the program. These items include:

• $25 million completed under the rural sanitation facility revitalization program
• $20 million in primary health center funding
• $80 million to develop La Crete Maternity and Community Health Center
• $1 million in CARDSTON HEALTH CENTER Program Funding
• $18 million to provide furniture, equipment and information technology infrastructure for Mountview Health Complex in Beaverlodge
• $170 million capital lease fee for Mountview facility

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ctran@postmedia.com