Alberta doctors plead for state of emergency as hospitals are overwhelmed

Physicians across Alberta have asked the province to declare a state of emergency, saying emergency departments are overwhelmed and some patients have died while waiting; the government says it is using all available resources and that a public health state of emergency would add nothing.

Physicians across Alberta have urged the provincial government to declare a state of emergency for hospitals, saying emergency departments are overwhelmed and long waits are making safe care difficult. Front-line doctors reported multiple cases of patients waiting many hours and said some people died while waiting for care. They also said recent restructuring of Alberta Health Services into four agencies has complicated coordination during system surges. The provincial government acknowledged high emergency department wait times, pointed to an early flu spike as a factor, and described operational changes and longer-term bed expansion plans that will take years to complete. Known details: - Emergency physicians have requested a provincial state of emergency, saying hospitals are unable to deliver timely, safe care during the current surge. - Reports include long ER waits, patients held in waiting areas or hallways, and at least one recent death in an Edmonton emergency department while waiting. - The Alberta government said it is using all available resources, described calls for a public health state of emergency as misguided, and noted both short-term operational measures and plans for additional beds in coming years. Summary: The physicians' appeal frames the situation as a province-wide capacity and coordination problem affecting emergency and hospital care. The government has responded that it is deploying resources, has outlined measures to preserve capacity, and has ordered a review into the recent emergency department death. Further provincial response beyond these steps is undetermined at this time.