Left my house at 0700 for weekend hospital call. Just got home 22:35. Caring for most patients I’ve ever had. Single rooms now triple, pts crammed everywhere, COVID spread through hospital. ED has x60 in wt. room daily. #healthcare #abhealth

This is completely unsafe. We need some action by GoA now. Things that we could all do to make sure fewer people end up there - get vaccinated, avoid crowds, wear a mask. These are still valid things to reduce risk of any resp virus.

Just putting some data together for a talk and found something that shocks me. Here is the data. Source: Stats Can and AFMC/1

So now we are in the 'funny' position of being the wealthiest province in the country, producing less than the average MD/capita. We are relying on other provinces to support our need for MD's. /7

I thought we were a proud people who contributed rather than took from confederation? Not only can our gov not fix our health system they cannot do simple demographic modelling and forecast enough HCW's for our system. /end

“If the foundation of a building is crumbling, there is no point in building more floors above it.” We MUST invest in Family Medicine Specialists as the foundation of robust primary care. thestar.com/opinion/contri…

I hate the prospect of waiting 10+ hours for emergency care, but I can swallow it. It's the growing queue for sick kids that's really making my heart burst as a new dad whose kid just had a very rough sick weekend. #yeg #yyc #ableg globalnews.ca/news/10160993/…

AMA members are fully behind our fierce advocacy for primary care and our efforts to save and support family physician and rural generalist clinics. Everyone agrees the system has no future without this foundation.🧵 1/14

Pay Family Doctors a reasonable, globally competitive wage to lead and work in multidisciplinary teams, taking care of patients. It’s actually not rocket science.

Soaring flu hospitalizations are contributing to overstuffed hospital wards in Alberta — & the peak is yet to come. DoM Dr. Lynora Saxinger says it's not too late to get a flu shot which also covers the H1N1 strain edmontonjournal.com/health/flu-bug… Dr. Lynora Saxinger MD FRCPC Infectious Diseases UAlberta Med & Dent Narmin Kassam

Shared with permission to highlight how when we use the words "collapse", "disaster", and '"critical overcrowding", we are not exaggerating My colleagues are NOT making light of this suffering They honestly don't know how to get lasting system change They are desperate for help

"If we don't stabilize and salvage it right now, there'll be nothing to restructure" notes President Dr. Parks. Acute care's state can't hold, with waiting rooms over capacity government investment "can no longer be safely ignored". edmonton.ctvnews.ca/provincial-hea…

NEW: AHS confirms some pediatric cancer patients in Edmonton have faced chemotherapy delays. This comes after Alberta Medical Association pres, Dr. Paul Parks, warned about the impacts of overwhelmed ERs and inpatient units Statement from AHS👇

Today’s reminder that the elected government are responsible for overseeing our health care system. They are letting us all down. Time to hold them to account. #abhealth

Should patients whose care is being delayed also start demanding urgent care elsewhere? We've had an amazing h/c system, one that many of us have been proud of. But if this over capacity situation continues for weeks/month then something has to give. /end

Kids with cancer had their treatment delayed because of the healthcare crisis. Read that again. #abpoli #ableg #cdnpoli

A message from Alberta's health care unions and associations:

As a reminder this holiday season, @albertadoctors Physician and Family Support Program is available 24/7 to provide confidential assistance to physicians. #WellDocAlberta also has a compiled list of additional resources, available here: welldocalberta.org/support-servic…

This afternoon's presser saw a lot of dodging and spin... Except from Parksy. Everyone should listen to what he had to say on vaccines. #abpoli #ableg #cdnpoli

If you have not seen it yet, please view the special holiday greeting that I signed with the leaders of Alberta’s health associations and unions to honour your contributions and those of all health care workers in Alberta. albertadoctors.org/news/message-f… 11/12