How does the fourth-busiest hospital in the province, with critical services stretched to the limit, get left off Alberta Health Services’ capital plan?

That question has been on the mind of Red Deer city councillor Ken Johnston, who says the Red Deer Regional Hospital is in the midst of a “crisis in healthcare delivery.”

He’s not alone. There have been concerns among doctors for months, that the facility is not adequately equipped to provide several services, including life-saving ones.

“(A cardiologist) has to come to you and say … we have to move you off-site to get life-saving procedures done, and if we don’t, you’ve got a 50 per cent greater chance of passing away,” Johnston said.

“I think (the doctors) are to be commended for how they’ve brought this issue forward in a very professional way. I’m just happy to get them the support they’re looking for.”

The councillor has since successfully pushed for city council to start lobbying the province for hospital expansion, to reinstate the facility on AHS’ capital plan.

Johnston said when the city engages in formal advocacy, it keeps the issue on the political agenda.

“Polytechnic status for the college or the courthouse issue for example, once the city put its shoulder to that, you tend to get a lot more traction,” he said. “That’s what it’s meant to do.”

He cites an AHS needs assessment from 2015 stating that the following programs were operating at or beyond capacity in the Central Zone:

  • interventional and procedural services
  • emergency services
  • cardiac science services
  • maternal child services
  • ambulatory care services
  • addiction and mental health
  • clinical support services
  • non-clinical support services

In 2015, the Red Deer hospital was ranked fourth out of 17 infrastructure priorities by the Alberta Government. It was excluded from capital funding the next year.