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EDMONTON — Alberta says its health system is entering respiratory virus season with more than 9,000 acute care spaces and a new emergency department triage program aimed at managing seasonal demand.
The province says more than 221 hospital spaces have been permanently opened across Alberta, including 102 in Edmonton and 79 in Calgary.
Another 194 temporary spaces are being prepared and can be activated if demand exceeds existing hospital capacity.
Premier Danielle Smith said the province has expanded acute care capacity to what she called the highest level in Alberta’s history.
“We can’t prevent every seasonal surge, but we can make sure our hospitals have the space, resources and flexibility to respond so Albertans can get the care they need,” Smith said.
The province says Acute Care Alberta and Assisted Living Alberta have also increased capacity through programs intended to move patients from hospitals into home care or other supports.
Initiatives including the Homecare and Hospital to Home Pathway have freed the equivalent of 175 acute care beds over the past year.
A Provincial Integrated Operations Centre has also been launched to co-ordinate hospital capacity and resources across Alberta.
The province says the centre will bring together hospital teams and provincial experts to identify available spaces and help move patients to care closer to home when possible.
Hospital and Surgical Health Services Minister Adriana LaGrange said the measures are intended to improve patient flow and prepare hospitals for higher respiratory virus demand.
The province has also launched a Triage Liaison Physician program, which will place physicians directly in busy emergency department waiting areas.
The program is intended to give patients earlier contact with a physician, allowing clinical teams to identify worsening conditions, begin testing or treatment sooner and provide additional support to emergency departments.
Hospitals are also introducing automated daily staffing reports to provide a clearer picture of where staff are available and where additional support is needed.
Acute Care Alberta CEO Dr. Sayeh Zielke said the measures are intended to give the system more flexibility when demand changes unexpectedly.
The province says it will continue monitoring hospital capacity and patient flow throughout respiratory virus season, with established triggers used to determine whether additional measures are needed.
Alberta is also continuing its respiratory virus immunization programs.
Influenza vaccines are available free to Albertans six months and older, while publicly funded COVID-19 vaccines are available to eligible Albertans.
RSV immunization is available free for eligible seniors, older adults in continuing care and supportive living, and eligible First Nations, Métis and Inuit Albertans.
Eligibility was expanded Oct. 1 to include some vulnerable adults between 18 and 69 with serious medical conditions, including transplant recipients, people receiving dialysis and those requiring chronic oxygen therapy.
Publicly funded RSV protection is also available to infants born in hospital between November and April.
Albertans can book immunizations online, through Health Link at 811 or through participating pharmacies.
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