Operators of troubled Calgary-based Health Resource Centre, a private hip and knee surgery facility, say they can deliver services faster, better and cheaper than the province.
A 55-page sworn affidavit filed by Networc Health Inc., which owns HRC, states the private facility performs surgeries 40 per cent cheaper than those at hospitals run by Alberta Health Services.
It also states wait times for hip and knee operations at public facilities are 120 per cent longer than those at its facility, and HRC could save the health-care system up to $30 million annually if it was tasked with performing all hip and knee surgeries in the province.
“The numbers are extremely clear, HRC outperforms any other public hospital being run by AHS,” says Danielle Smith, leader of the Wildrose Alliance, who is calling on AHS CEO Stephen Duckett to release an analysis comparing public and private treatments.
Networc’s chief operating officer, Bernie Sampson, claims AHS “waffled” and “reneged” on a prior commitment to increase the number of surgeries HRC would perform — ultimately forcing Networc into receivership earlier this year.
In a prepared statement, AHS responded by saying it has negotiated with HRC “in good faith,” but did not address HRC claims that the private facility offers faster, better and cheaper surgeries compared to provincial ones.
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