Alberta Health Services has announced a five-year plan and 132 new beds for Calgarians this year.
Spread between the Foothills, Peter Lougheed and Rockyview hospitals, and costing $15.7 million, the system will help to decrease the city’s reliance on over compliment (short-term) beds, said Gene Zwozdesky, minister of Health and Wellness, yestserday morning.
According to an Alberta Health Services report the new beds will greatly reduce the number of patients being treated in hallways and help hospitals deal with surging patient numbers.
“It is important not to forget that with the completion of the south Calgary centre 1.5 million square feet of space will be available in 201,2,” said Zwozdesky. “The beds are absolutely necessary,” said Peter Jamieson, director of Foothills Medical Centre. “We expect to be operating at full capacity,” he said.
While the minster could not comment on the health capital plan, he said he would consult Calgary physicians and release a report this fall.
