The government's decision this week to call a limited health inquiry is being criticized by the province's association of doctors as well as local opposition candidates.
Health Minister Fred Horne announced late on Tuesday that the government would call a judicial health care inquiry looking specifically into whether queue jumping is taking place within the system.
Specifically, the inquiry will look into whether anyone is getting inappropriate access to the health system. If the inquiry finds that is happening it is also assigned to recommend ways to prevent it in the future.
Queue jumping was not a part of the Health Quality Council's mandate as part of their review of emergency room care, lung cancer and physician intimidation.
The council delivered a report on those issues a few weeks ago and in addition to calling for the queue jumping inquiry, Horne said the government would act on all 21 recommendations the council provided for improving those areas.
The council found widespread reports of physician intimidation, but recommended against a public inquiry into those issues, saying the money could be better spent fixing the problem rather than examining it further.
Horne cited that as part of the reason why the judicial inquiry would only look at the issue of queue jumping.
"The council clearly stated that there was nothing that was referred to them that they were not able to get to the bottom of."
President of the Alberta Medical Association Dr. Linda Slocombe disagreed strongly with Horne and said the government needs to have an inquiry that looks beyond queue jumping.
"What we called for before from the AMA was a public inquiry on the issue of physician intimidation," she said. "It is far too narrow a focus so we will continue to call for a public inquiry around that issue."
The government also announced that it would extend the contract with physicians for another year, because negotiations on a broader deal were stalled.
Doctors in Alberta have been operating with extended contracts since their deal expired in July 2011. It was first extended for one year and negotiations continued, but Horne announced this week doctors would receive a slight increase for next year while their contract was extended to March 2013.
Slocombe said in the negotiations doctors are looking for a permanent voice at the table on health care, so major decisions aren't implemented without doctor input.
"It leaves physicians out of the major decision-making when it comes to health care," she said. "We should all be at the table. We are the ones on the ground along with other health care professionals serving the public."
Candidates react
Local PC candidate Stephen Khan, who will likely hear about the issue on the doorsteps, said he has no problems running on the government's decision. Khan said intimidation is well documented in the council's report and Horne, as well as Premier Alison Redford, has admitted it is taking place.
"If the issue is acknowledged let's spend the money on fixing and remedying the issue and not move backwards," he said. "We are trying to improve the system so we are delivering quality health care to Albertans."
Alberta Party candidate Tim Osborne sees it differently and argued they need an inquiry to get to the bottom of what ails health care.
"You see that more than half the doctors in the province have been blocked from advocating for their patients and that is a serious problem. If doctors can't advocate for their patients then who can?"
Osborne argued it is also an issue of accountability, because Redford promised a real inquiry.
"The premier promised a full inquiry into the problem of the health-care system and what she is offering is a peek into a small subset of the problem."
Wildrose candidate James Burrows said his party has called for the full inquiry for a long time.
"We have been almost saying that for the last the eight months."
He said doctors need to be able to speak out for their patients and if someone is standing in the way that needs to come out.
"The physicians are doing their job. You shouldn't be afraid to speak out and defend patients."
NDP candidate Nicole Bownes said it comes down to a direct promise from the premier.
"Premier Redford is contradicting her own commitment to call for a judicial inquiry."
She said the government can't fix a problem it doesn't understand and an inquiry is the only way to do that.
"You can't fix the problem without knowing the scope of the problem."
