The Non Partisan Association believes Alberta requires a significant expansion of hospital bed capacity. This includes acute care beds in emergency departments, general inpatient beds, and continuing care beds for patients requiring long-term medical support.
Alberta's current bed shortage creates a cascading effect throughout the healthcare system, resulting in emergency room overcrowding, cancelled surgeries, and compromised patient care.
Types of Beds Required
- Acute Care Beds: For patients requiring immediate medical or surgical treatment
- Emergency Department Beds: For patients awaiting admission or observation
- Continuing Care Beds: For patients requiring long-term medical supervision
- Surgical Recovery Beds: For post-operative patient monitoring
Eight Reasons Alberta Needs More Hospital Beds
1. Reducing Emergency Department Wait Times
When inpatient beds are unavailable, admitted patients remain in emergency departments—a practice known as "boarding." This blocks emergency beds for incoming patients and dramatically increases wait times for everyone seeking urgent care.
2. Eliminating Hallway Medicine
Insufficient bed capacity forces hospitals to place patients in hallways, storage areas, and other inappropriate locations. Adequate bed supply ensures every patient receives care in a proper clinical environment with appropriate privacy and monitoring capabilities.
3. Preventing Surgical Cancellations
Scheduled surgeries are frequently cancelled due to lack of post-operative beds. This creates a backlog of surgical cases, prolongs patient suffering, and wastes operating room resources. Expanded capacity ensures surgical schedules can be maintained.
4. Addressing Alternate Level of Care (ALC) Patients
A significant portion of hospital beds are occupied by patients who no longer require acute care but await placement in continuing care facilities. Expanding continuing care capacity would free acute care beds for patients who genuinely need them.
5. Improving Patient Safety
Overcrowded hospitals increase the risk of medical errors, healthcare-associated infections, and delayed treatment. Adequate bed capacity allows healthcare providers to deliver care safely and effectively without the pressures created by chronic overcrowding.
6. Building Surge Capacity
Healthcare systems require reserve capacity to respond to unexpected demand—whether from seasonal illness outbreaks, mass casualty events, or pandemics. Without surge capacity, hospitals are forced to implement crisis standards of care during emergencies.
7. Supporting Healthcare Worker Retention
Chronic overcrowding contributes to burnout, moral distress, and job dissatisfaction among healthcare workers. Providing adequate resources, including sufficient beds, is essential for retaining skilled professionals in Alberta's healthcare system.
8. Ensuring Equitable Access Across the Province
Bed shortages disproportionately affect rural and remote communities, where patients may need to travel significant distances to access hospital care. Strategic expansion of bed capacity across Alberta ensures all residents can access timely hospital care regardless of location.
NPA Position
The Non Partisan Association calls for a comprehensive hospital capacity expansion plan that addresses both acute care and continuing care bed shortages. This investment is essential for restoring functionality to Alberta's healthcare system and ensuring quality care for all residents.