Health’s real issues

Re: “Forget doctors, Redford should target AHS execs,” Licia Corbella, Opinion, Feb. 9.

The idea that individuals in the health-care system are underemployed or take advantage of their positions is distressing. I am frustrated because we are not focused on the issues that really matter.

As consultants to the system, we know there are two myths about why it is not working as we hope it would. The first is that the system is not properly organized. The second is that if we could make a sharp reduction in the cost of administration, there would be enough money for patient care. Licia Corbella seems to think this latter issue is a fruitful place to focus attention.

The Canadian Institutes of Health Information reported that in 2010, Alberta had one of the lowest administrative costs in the country, at 3.5 per cent of total spending. Prior to the creation of Alberta Health Services, there were 144 senior executives and today there are 81. The consolidation of the old health regions generated more than $600 million in savings.

This fiscal year, our entire provincial spending on health care will exceed $16 billion, or $44 million a day. If we could cut another 20 per cent out of our administration spending, it would provide funding to operate the system for less than three days.

While we don’t condone any of the behaviours Corbella describes, they are not the right things we need to talk about.

The real issues are: Who delivers health care? And where do they deliver it?

When will we stop pointing fingers at our demoralized health-care workers and talk about the important issues?

Amy Lonsberry, Calgary Amy Lonsberry is a consultant with Stratavera.