EDMONTON — Following yesterday’s leaked documents, Danielle Smith’s government followed through on announcing a massive restructuring of public health care in Alberta, as well as a new Alberta Health Services Board chaired by a former conservative cabinet minister, Lyle Oberg. None of this was part of the UCP’s platform in this year’s election.

After years of unprecedented pressures on our public health care system, health care workers and patients in this province are seeking certainty when it comes to something as important as our public health care system. They aren’t looking for changes of this scale being directed by politicians, rather than health care experts and community needs.

Earlier today, the Premier and Health Minister announced that Alberta’s community lab services will go back to being delivered by our public labs across the province, taking services back from DynaLIFE.

EDMONTON - On December 1, following multiple delays, Alberta’s community medical laboratory services were formally transitioned from being publicly delivered by Alberta Precision Laboratories (APL), to being privately delivered by for-profit company, DynaLIFE. In the months since, people in communities across Alberta in need of blood work have continuously reported ongoing delays, or weeks-long waits

Friends of Medicare stands in solidarity with laboratory workers in their fight for fairness

This morning, Alberta’s medical laboratory workers called on DynaLIFE to return to the bargaining table, and to commit to fairness. Lab workers provide incredibly important services to Albertans, essential for timely diagnostics and treatment. Yet once again, just like when DynaLIFE tried to take away their pension plan, this private company’s profits are being prioritized at the expense of working conditions, public oversight, and patient care. All while Alberta is facing a chronic short-staffing crisis throughout our health care system.

EDMONTON — Today, the majority of Alberta’s community medical laboratory services are being transitioned from being publicly delivered by Alberta Precision Laboratories, to being delivered by DynaLIFE, a for-profit company. This follows the delayed attempt to transition services this past July. Friends of Medicare has been outspoken about the significant issues involved in contracting out our lab services, and other integral parts of our public health care system, every step of the way. 

January 28, 2022
EDMONTON

Community Laboratory Services Deal Puts Private Profit over Public Health Care

Today, Albertans have learned that our public community medical laboratory services have been sold off to DynaLIFE Medical Labs, a private, for-profit company. The contract is slated to begin July 1, and will impact communities all across the province. The change could impact the jobs of as many as 1,400 laboratory workers – it is unclear what it will mean for workers’ pensions.

EDMONTON
April 12, 2021

Health Minister's recognition of National Medical Laboratory Week falls flat

On a Sunday afternoon, Health Minister Tyler Shandro released a statement in recognition of National Laboratory Week. In his statement, he highlighted the role that medical laboratory professionals have played during this pandemic as an integral part of the province’s COVID-19 response. He encouraged Albertans to “reach out and thank a medical laboratory professional for their untold contributions in building a strong health system." But despite these empty platitudes, the minister and this government continue to move forward with the privatization of our lab services. 

This National Medical Laboratory Week, thank you is not enough

April 27th to May 2nd is National Medical Laboratory week, and during this week Friends of Medicare joins voices across Canada in recognizing the invaluable and life-saving contributions of our country’s medical laboratory professionals. 

Now more than ever, Albertans are witnessing firsthand the direct link between the lab and their health. "In Alberta, this pandemic has shone a light on the impact that having publicly delivered and funded lab services has made in helping to flatten the curve by providing the capacity for timely and effective diagnoses for those impacted by COVID-19," says Sandra Azocar, executive director of Friends of Medicare. "Around the world, Alberta has led the way in the number of tests administered, thanks to the excellence of our lab professionals. Our lab, in spite of years of neglect from consecutive provincial governments, has responded admirably to this unprecedented health crisis, and will no doubt be pivotal to seeing Alberta through this crisis and beyond."

With the release of the much-awaited performance review of Alberta Health Services (AHS), Albertans will have to wait until May 2020 to fully understand the real life consequences that the recommendations will have on Albertans.