Premier Danielle Smith. (Government of Alberta)

By rdnewsNOW staff

Provincial Politics

Alberta government aiming to eliminate “bureaucratic vortex” in hospitals

Jun 18, 2025 | 4:37 PM

Alberta’s government has announced it is decentralizing decision-making to the hospital level, empowering facility leadership teams and enhancing patient care across the province.

According to the government, Alberta Health Services’ current zone-based leadership structure is overly complex and bureaucratic. Officials say it lacks the flexibility and responsiveness needed to effectively support facilities and staff – particularly when it comes to hiring, securing supplies and adopting necessary technologies.

As a result, the government says on-site leadership teams will be responsible for hiring staff, managing resources and solving problems to effectively serve their patients and communities. Officials say hospitals will now have the flexibility to respond, freedom to adapt and authority to act, so they can meet the needs of their facilities, patients and workforce in real time.

“What works in Calgary or Edmonton isn’t always what works in Camrose or Peace River,” says Danielle Smith, Premier of Alberta. “That’s why we’re cutting through bureaucracy and putting real decision-making power back in the hands of local hospital leaders, so they can act fast, hire who they need and deliver better care for their communities.”

“Hospital-based leadership ensures decisions on hiring, supplies and services are made efficiently by those closest to care – strengthening acute care, supporting staff and helping patients get the timely, high-quality care they need and deserve,” adds Matt Jones, Minister of Hospital and Surgical Health Services.

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“By rethinking how decisions are made, we’re working to improve health care through a more balanced and practical approach,” suggests Adriana LaGrange, Minister of Primary and Preventative Health Services. “By removing delays and empowering our on-site leaders, we’re giving facilities the tools to respond to real-time needs and ultimately provide better care to Albertans.”

The government says AHS’ health zones will be eliminated, and acute care sites will be integrated into the seven regional corridors. Officials say these sites will operate under a new leadership model that emphasizes site-level performance management. According to the province, clear expectations will be set by Acute Care Alberta, and site operations will be managed by AHS through a hospital-based management framework. All acute care sites will be required to report to Acute Care Alberta based on these defined performance standards.

“Standing up Acute Care Alberta has allowed AHS to shift its focus to hospital-based services,” explains Dr. Chris Eagle, interim CEO, Acute Care Alberta. “This change will enable the local leadership teams at those hospitals to make site-based decisions in real and tangible ways that are best for their patients, families and staff. Acute Care Alberta will provide oversight and monitor site-level performance, and I’m confident overall hospital performance will improve when hospital leadership and staff have more authority to do what they know is best.”

“AHS is focused on reducing wait times and improving care for patients,” adds Andre Tremblay, interim president & CEO, Alberta Health Services. “By shifting to hospital-based leadership, we’re empowering hospital leaders to make real-time decisions based on what’s happening on the ground and respond to patient needs as they arise. It also means leaders can address issues we know have been frustrating, like hiring staff where they’re needed most and advancing hospital operations. This change enables front-line teams to act on ideas they see every day to improve care.”

The Ministry of Hospital and Surgical Health Services, Acute Care Alberta and Alberta Health Services are expected to work collaboratively to design and establish the new leadership and management model with an interim model to be established by November 2025, followed by full implementation by summer 2026.

However, Alberta New Democrat Chair, The Future of Health Care, Dr. Luanne Metz, says the announcement is one more step towards implementing the UCP government’s plan to hand control of publicly paid-for hospitals to private operators.

“What happens when a hospital starts to run out of money? Private operators need to make a profit. They achieve that by focusing on simple medical issues and when patients become complex, Bill 55 allows them to discharge patients.

“Albertans should not expect hospitals to make a profit, nor should we use public money to pay corporate profits.

“Instead of focusing on the basics: hiring more doctors, treating staff with respect, getting down ER wait times and getting people the surgeries they need, the UCP government is focusing on who orders supplies.

“And let’s remember, from the private lab fiasco to wasting millions on unusable acetaminophen, the UCP government has a horrible track record of bloated contracts with private vendors.”

“Albertans are struggling to access the timely, quality, health care they need and deserve not because of a lack of local administrators, but because of chronic short-staffing, which is being actively worsened by endless restructuring and aggressive privatization efforts from this government,” adds Chris Gallaway, executive director of Friends of Medicare. “But instead of working to repair their relationship with health care workers, and urgently prioritizing a workforce and capacity plan, this government is further fragmenting our health care system and creating even more confusion for patients and workers.”

Alberta government quick facts

• Countries like the Netherlands and Norway, and parts of Australia have already made the shift to hospital-based leadership.
• The interim hospital-based leadership model will be implemented at one site before being implemented province-wide.
• Hospital-based leadership, once implemented, will apply only to AHS acute care facilities. Other acute care organizations will not be affected at the time of implementation.

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