Moving Surgical Recovery Into High Gear

Alberta is moving forward with a rapid action plan to transform Alberta’s surgical system by putting patients first.

As part of this priority work, chartered surgical facilities in Edmonton and Calgary will provide about 35,000 cataract and other eye procedures under new contracts with Alberta Health Services (AHS) this coming year. This is 25 per cent more than last year, and will drive down wait times and build resilience and capacity in the health system under the province’s Sustainability and Resiliency Action Plan.

Performing these ophthalmological surgeries in community clinics frees up operating room space in hospitals to provide more complex surgeries, including complex cataract and retinal procedures, plus ear, nose and throat surgeries. Budget 2022 provides $133 million over three years via the Alberta Surgical Initiative to expand and build new operating rooms in hospitals across the province.

A new independent surgical recovery lead has also been established to oversee, track and provide dedicated focus and rigour to surgical recovery. The new lead will keep the government and AHS on task and accountable to ensure people get better surgical care faster, based on recommended wait times.

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