Community Care and Acute Care Strategy

• Quick Facts: Community & Acute Care Capacity

To ensure patients across the system are getting the right care in the right place, Alberta Health Services (AHS) has launched a three-year, three-step coordinated plan to add almost 775 community living spaces in the Calgary and Edmonton areas.

The plan is also designed to improve access to mental health care, address pressure on Emergency Departments and make better use of hospital beds for acutely ill patients.

The three-step plan will:

• One: Accelerate expansion of community living options, including home care, supportive living and long-term care.
• Two: Allow for the transfer of hundreds of patients currently waiting in hospital beds for placement in more appropriate care settings as new community living options come on stream.
• Three: Adjust staffing of hospital beds not being used for patients with acute care needs, using resources to increase community living options and other urgent needs, including the funding of more maternity nursing positions. In addition, resources from about 60 hospital beds will be re-directed to relieve Emergency Department pressures. 

Changing the balance of community and acute care allows Alberta Health Services (AHS) to immediately increase the number of beds available to ease pressure on Emergency Departments and significantly accelerate expansion of the number of community living options. It also frees up $2.3 million to fund maternity nursing positions.

There are about 8,000 hospital beds across Alberta. The timing of the adjustment in the number of hospital beds will depend on how fast AHS can bring about 775 new community care spaces on stream over the next three years. All hospital beds will continue to be staffed as needed until new community living options are up and running.

AHS will invest about $13 million each in both Calgary and Edmonton to expand community care programs.  The cost savings in expanding the number of community living options while adjusting the number of hospital beds is significant, estimated to be between $35 million to $50 million. But the primary goal is to ensure that patients receive care in the best setting to meet their needs.

Quick Facts:

Community and acute care capacity - Calgary and Edmonton areas

In Calgary and area:

• About 190 patients a day are in hospital waiting for community living options and services.
• About 355 community living spaces will open over the next 12 to 18 months.
• About 190 patients will be transferred from hospitals to the new community living spaces as they are opened. About 150 of the beds not being used for acute care will be used as required to meet demand and resources directed to community care.
• The remainder, 40 beds, will be used to assist with Emergency Department pressures as needed.
• All hospital beds will continue to be staffed until new capacity comes on stream.
• Hospital beds currently not being used for acute care will be held as surge capacity, including for Pandemic (H1N1) Influenza. The need will be continuously monitored over this winter period.

In Edmonton and area:

• About 160 patients a day are in hospital waiting for community living options and services.
• About 420 community living options will open over the next three years.
• About 160 patients will be transferred from hospitals to the new community living spaces as they are opened.  Funding for about 140 of the beds not being used for acute care will be used to meet demand and resources directed to community care.
• The remainder, 20 beds, will be released to assist with Emergency Department pressures.
• AHS has planned for about 150 of the 420 community spaces to be designated for Mental Health patients, but will continue to consult with the staff and psychiatrists to determine the final numbers of patients that will be transferred.
• All hospital beds will continue to be staffed until new capacity comes on stream.
• Hospital beds currently not being used for acute care will be held as surge capacity, including for Pandemic (H1N1) Influenza. The need will be continuously monitored over this winter period.