Alberta is paving the way for a for-profit hospital industry in Canada.

$400 million will be flowing into for-profit surgeries. That’s huge.

Private facilities currently perform 15% of AB’s surgeries, but will increase to 30%.

#bcpoli #abpoli #cdnpoli https://edmontonjournal.com/news/politics/100m-to-go-to-moving-merging-and-upgrading-albertas-operating-rooms-to-cut-wait-times

In @CCPA_BC report, we raised alarm re BC plan to outsource many more surgeries, including complex ones req’ing overnight stays. AHS review recommends outsourcing longer-stay surgeries. This would open door to a for-profit hospital sector. #abpoli #cdnpoli https://www.policyalternatives.ca/publications/reports/reducing-surgical-wait-times

Once for-profit sector has built up infrastructure, they will be here to stay in Canada’s health care system. They will lobby to increase the outsourced volume of surgeries in order to satisfy shareholders. All provinces should be concerned. #bcpoli #abpoli #cdnpoli #cdnhealth

As #ABpoli moves to sanction a for-profit hospital sector, what does the evidence from Canada & abroad tell us? For-profit providers are more expensive: higher administrative costs, req to return profits to investors, costs associated w/ creating & enforcing new regulations.

The Kenney government relies on cost comparisons from Janice Mackinnon (chair of the Blue Ribbon panel on Alberta’s finances) using a costing methodology that has not undergone peer-review or independent scrutiny. #abpoli

The position that for-profit surgical delivery is cheaper than public hospitals runs contrary to the academic evidence and experience in other jurisdictions. #abpoli

A study published in peer-reviewed Healthcare Policy found that WorkSafeBC paid almost 375 per cent more for an expedited knee surgery in a private clinic ($3,222) than for a non-expedited surgery in a public hospital ($859). #abpoli

In 2016, it was revealed that Vancouver Island Health Authority is paying for-profit clinics nearly twice the per-scan price ($550) for MRIs than the cost to perform them in the public system ($300). #abpoli

In #abpoli, under former PC govt, ended a contract w/ Calgary for-profit clinic for private delivery of medical and surgical services because it was more expensive than public sector. The clinic also went bankrupt, leaving taxpayers on the hook for millions of .

In 2014, QC govt ended 2 contracts with private centres—Rockland MD & Eye Institute of the Laurentians—after it became clear that per case cost was lower in public system. After public sector repatriated surgeries from Rockland MD, waitlist in the public system decreased. #abpoli

Internationally, for-profit surgeries have been found to be more expensive. In England, the Department of Health acknowledged that procedures purchased from private surgical centres cost, on average, 11.2 per cent more than the National Health Service. #abpoli

Creating for-profit hospitals raises serious quality and patient safety concerns (see pages 19-20 https://www.policyalternatives.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/publications/BC%20Office/2016/04/CCPA-BC-Reducing-Surgical-Wait-Times.pdf). Fewer skilled personnel per bed are associated w/ higher mortality rates. To increase profits, fewer highly skilled personnel employed per bed. #abpoli

A meta-analysis of studies comparing mortality rates for 26k for-profit & non-profit hospitals, serving 38m patients in US, concluded: “for-profit ownership of hospitals, in comparison with private not-for-profit ownership, results in a higher risk of death for patients.” #abpoli

In Canada, patient safety & quality concerns emerged in Ontario’s private, for-profit clinics. It took a @TorontoStar investigation to reveal failure to meet provincial standards & instances of patients developing serious infections, including meningitis and hep C. #abpoli