Calgary-Fish Creek

 

Mrs. Forsyth: Our seniors could be so lucky to get that. We asked a number of questions to the health minister last week, of course, but we didn’t get any answers, so I’m going to ask the same questions, and I hope he takes some time to provide us with some answers. To the health minister. We know that there are beds in Edmonton and Calgary sitting empty while our ERs continue to burst at the seam. Will you immediately conduct an audit of all hospitals so that we know how many empty beds there are?

Mr. Zwozdesky: Mr. Speaker, it’s not a bad suggestion. In fact, some of that has already been done. I thought I had indicated something to that effect last week. If I didn’t, then I was remiss in not doing that. Nonetheless, some of those beds have already been open. For example – I think I gave this information out – there were a number of beds that were recently opened at what was previously the women’s pavilion at the Royal Alex here in Edmonton. Perhaps there are other sites like that. The suggestion to take a look at which beds might be available that weren’t closed all that long ago while new ones were opened to replace them is one that is being looked at.

Mrs. Forsyth: We need the audit, Mr. Minister. We want to see what beds are open and what beds have been closed. We want net beds. Given that we informed you last week that it is up to you to direct the Health Quality Council to investigate serious issues like the tragic deaths occurring in the ER, have you called them in to investigate yet?

Mr. Zwozdesky: Mr. Speaker, the Health Quality Council has been consulted. I want to let everybody here know and all Albertans know that with respect to the large number of incidents that Dr. Parks identified in the Thanksgiving e-mail to me a month or so ago, quality assurance reviews are under way right now, and the Health Quality Council had some input into that.

Mrs. Forsyth: Well, I’d like to see him table the information he gets from the Health Quality Council. Okay, Minister, I have a new question for you today. Given that seniors and others are being forced to go into their doctor’s offices and clinics for simple refills and other things that could be handled over the phone, will the minister abolish the whites-of-the-eyes rule and allow physicians to bill for telephone advice?

Mr. Zwozdesky: Mr. Speaker, let me take that one under advisement because there are a number of things that are coming forward as part of our pharmacy drug review at the moment. I know that there are issues there with respect to prescription refills, prescription adaptations, consultation reviews, and medication reviews, and it’s all part of the same scenario. I will get back to the member with the information.