Red Deer doctors form new society to advocate for fair healthcare funding for Central Albertans

(MENAFNEditorial) RED DEER, Alberta, Feb. 22, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A group of Red Deer physicians have formed the non-profit Society for Fair and Transparent health Funding to Central Alberta (the Society). A year in the making, the Society was created after a major expansion of the Red Deer Regional Hospital was dropped from the provincial priority list in late 2016 with little explanation from either Alberta Health Services or the government of Alberta.

The Society was created as a result of public groundswell over close to two decades of lagging infrastructure investment in Central Alberta, according to physicians. The Society is non-partisan and does not ascribe to any particular ideology other than fair and transparent allocation of tax dollars for health care. Local physicians believe this non-profit Society is the first of its kind in Canada, but given the need for infrastructure in various locations across the country and often obscure drivers of development, it may not be the last.

'Citizens should not have to travel for medical care when it can be safely and reasonably delivered close to home. We want decision-makers to be fully aware that they are being watched and that Central Albertans deserve their tax dollars to be invested locally based on fair and transparent processes,' says Dr. Kym Jim, one of the Society's founders.

'Due to a lack of health infrastructure investment in our region dating back many years, Red Deer is in dire need of capital spending to expand the Red Deer Regional Hospital in order to provide care to the over 400,000 people who live in Central Alberta. We don't blame current government or Alberta Health Services leaders for our current predicament, but they do have the urgent obligation to fix it. Given the fact that major hospital development can often take a decade from decision to implementation, we are anxious to hear good news soon, as we continue to work with Alberta Health Services on updating our most recent expansion plan created in 2014.'

• To advocate for fair and transparent health funding to Central Alberta

• To educate Central Albertans, the medical profession, Alberta Health Services, and the Government of Alberta about:

• The medical needs of Central Albertans;
  
• The extent to which the medical needs of Central Albertans are not being met in Central Alberta;
  
• The extent to which lack of health funding is causing or contributing to medical needs of Central Albertans not being met in Central Alberta;
  
• The extent to which Central Alberta is underfunded in comparison to other areas of Alberta; and
  
• The extent to which Central Albertans must travel to other areas of Alberta to receive medical assessments and treatments;

• To engage Central Albertans, the medical profession, Alberta Health Services, and the Government of Alberta respecting the above objectives through meetings, lectures, seminars, public rallies and other means of communication; and,

• To promote and afford opportunity for Central Albertans to educate themselves respecting the above objects.

• Dr. Kym Jim

• Dr. Paul Hardy

• Dr. Keith Wolstenholme

• Dr. Alan Poole

• Dr. Cinzia Gaudelli

For more information or to arrange an interview with one of the organizing doctors, please contact: