Alberta and Saskatchewan will work together to ensure co-ordinated and seamless healthcare services for the residents of Lloydminster and area, according to a provincial government press release.
Alberta Minister of Health Fred Horne and Saskatchewan Minister Responsible for Rural and Remote Health Tim McMillan signed a memorandum of understanding recently that enhances the collaboration between the two provinces on the delivery of health services in this community.
In addition, Alberta and Saskatchewan are investing more than $1 million to develop a third operating room at the Lloydminster Hospital, $750,000 a year to introduce the Home First/Quick Response program to enhance home care services, and Alberta is joining Saskatchewan to further develop the Prairie North Health Centre for a total of $1.1 million. The Lloydminster Region Health Foundation, as a community partner, has also committed more than $1 million towards primary and acute care.
Last year, a working group of local stakeholders and government representatives from both provinces, called the Lloydminster Health Services Working Group, was created to address the unique health care needs of Lloydminster. Actions have since been taken to ensure residents have access to consistent health care services:
physicians can now hold licences in both Saskatchewan and Alberta, allowing them to work in both provinces;
integration of Alberta Netcare is expected to be complete by the end of 2014, which will ensure better information access for health professionals and improve patient care; and
emergency care services and protocols will be standardized between Alberta and Saskatchewan to ensure consistency.
According to the press release, the MOU will create a bi-provincial health services committee to help ensure the unique health service needs in this border city are addressed.
