Category Archives: Alberta Health Care

Is it a “bed” or a “space”?

Posted on January 22, 2011 by susanonthesoapbox

The 5 Year Action Plan – Part 2 OK, pop quiz.  What’s the difference between “long term care” and “supportive living” (also known as “assisted living”)?  You don’t know do you.  Neither did I until I read a letter (Jan … Continue reading →

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Where are the Doctors?

Posted on January 15, 2011 by susanonthesoapbox

The 5 Year Action Plan – Part 1 On Nov 30 the Alberta government released its 5 Year Heath Action Plan.  The Health Minister said it’s “… what Albertans told us they expect…” This appears to be a reference the … Continue reading →

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Shakespeare Got It Right

Posted on January 8, 2011 by susanonthesoapbox

Dr Duckett may be gone but he won’t soon be forgotten.  In his farewell speech to senior AHS staffers he set the record straight with a number of provocative comments.  The most significant of which was this:  “Alberta spends more … Continue reading →

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A Second Chance

Posted on January 2, 2011 by susanonthesoapbox

Soon after Dr Duckett was hired he received a phone call from Mr Hughes, the AHS Board chair, and Mr Sieben, the AHS Audit Committee chair.  They told him that they’d “…just become aware of the need to do a … Continue reading →

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Real Evidence Bites Back

Posted on December 29, 2010 by susanonthesoapbox

Lawyers are taught never to ask a question on cross-examination if they don’t already know the answer.  They are also taught never to rely on a case to support an argument if it also includes statements that can turn around … Continue reading →

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8 Magical Minutes

Posted on December 24, 2010 by susanonthesoapbox

Do you remember Carlos Castaneda, the American anthropologist who started his career writing factual accounts on Mesoamerican shamanism and ended it writing fictional stories infused with magical realism?  Stelmach’s year-ender interviews with the media indicate that he’s going down the … Continue reading →

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Lethbridge–Check It Out

Posted on December 18, 2010 by susanonthesoapbox

The Health Minister has been saying for months that he is open to suggestions on how to improve Alberta’s health care system.  However the credibility of his statement has been seriously undermined by the Premier’s steadfast refusal to admit there … Continue reading →

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A Pretty Good Job???

Posted on December 13, 2010 by susanonthesoapbox

I don’t know about you but I’m getting a little tired of being told that health care costs are out of control and that somehow it’s my fault because I run to ER at the first sign of the sniffles.  … Continue reading →

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The Lens of Politics – Part 2

Posted on December 7, 2010 by susanonthesoapbox

So in reviewing the events of the last two years one can see that the government reacted swiftly and decisively to neutralize the medical community and the regional health boards who were trying to fix the ailing health care system.  … Continue reading →

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The Lens of Politics – Part 1

Posted on December 5, 2010 by susanonthesoapbox

How did the Alberta health care system melt down so dramatically in such a short space of time?*  In 2008 Dr Parks and other ER doctors provided the government with hard evidence that there was a serious problem by documenting … Continue reading →

Posted in Alberta Health Care, Politics and Government | Tagged | 2 Comments