Alberta Health Services releases 2014-15 Annual Report

Highlights progress in priority areas, includes Consolidated Financial Statements

EDMONTON – Alberta Health Services (AHS) today released its 2014-15 Annual Report, which provides an update on progress AHS has made in addressing actions outlined in the 2014-17 Health Plan and Business Plan.

The annual report also includes the consolidated audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2015 (see Backgrounder).

“It’s been a year of steady progress toward becoming an even better health system,” said AHS Official Administrator Carl Amrhein. “We have made strides in areas that are important to Albertans, such as adding continuing care beds, improving access for cancer patients and delivering care in a more collaborative way. We have a system to be proud of, and a system that strives to put patients and their families at the heart of everything we do.”

AHS President and CEO Vickie Kaminski said the 2014-15 Annual Report shows how the organization is providing quality health care in innovative and effective ways.

“This year, we have worked hard to help Albertans stay healthy and to support them when they experience illness or injury, with programs and services designed to prevent and manage illness and help keep them out of hospitals,” Kaminski said.

The annual report shows progress made in 2014-15 toward supporting AHS’ three strategic directions, which are intended to improve health care delivery in Alberta. Among the highlights:

Bringing appropriate care to the community.

• More than 880 new continuing care and palliative beds were added in facilities across the province, plus 34 restorative spaces located in hospitals were also put in place. AHS has opened more than 4,280 community-based continuing care spaces since 2010.
• AHS opened a new hospital in Sherwood Park that brings 24-hour emergency and health services to that area, as well as a new health centre in Chestermere, which provides one location for home care and public and mental health for residents in that community.

Strategic Direction: Partnering for better health outcomes.

• AHS provided more influenza immunizations than ever (1.25 million), and staff influenza immunization rates have increased by 20 per cent over the past three years. AHS also launched the immunizealberta.ca website to provide information and support to parents as they consider immunization for their children.
• The introduction of home-base Fecal Immunochemical Testing increased the number of Albertans screened for colorectal cancer by 36 per cent compared to the previous year.

Achieving health system sustainability.

• AHS addressed the financial sustainability of the organization and continued to find operational efficiencies without compromising patient care.
• AHS developed an information technology strategy designed to ensure health providers and leaders have the information they need at their fingertips to make the best decisions for patients, and for the health system as a whole.

“I want the people of this province to understand that, at AHS, we do recognize that we have to be good stewards of taxpayer dollars and we are striving to use our financial and human resources in the most effective and efficient ways possible,” said Kaminski.

She said AHS has taken several initiatives to contain costs, including tightening controls on severance, freezing management salaries for the 2015-16 fiscal year and implementing new policies related to cellphone use and sick leave.

“This will provide AHS with significant savings without affecting patient care,” Kaminski said.

The annual report also includes current performance measures data, which will be fully updated in the fall. AHS is currently meeting or exceeding more than half of its performance measures. ED wait times, access to radiation therapy and wait times for continuing care placement are among the targets AHS is not yet meeting.

“Our goal is to meet or exceed all – not some – of our performance targets,” said Kaminski. “AHS will continue to invest time, ingenuity and resources into areas where we need to improve.”

Alberta Health Services is the provincial health authority responsible for planning and delivering health supports and services for more than four million adults and children living in Alberta. Its mission is to provide a patient-focused, quality health system that is accessible and sustainable for all Albertans.

• News release
• Backgrounder

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