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Alberta plans to increase surgeries, reducing hospital wait times

EDMONTON – The Alberta government will announce today a plan to immediately begin reducing surgery wait times by increasing the number of surgeries performed.

Alberta Health and Wellness Minister Gene Zwozdesky, and Alberta Health Services President and Chief Executive Officer Stephen Duckett, will announce details of the initiative later today.

The news comes in the wake of last Tuesday’s budget, which increased overall health spending by 15 per cent to $15 billion in the upcoming fiscal year. Alberta Health Services will see its budget rise to $9 billion from $7.7 billion.

Writing in his blog after the provincial budget, Stephen Duckett said the jump in health spending — including writing off the board’s $1.3-billion deficit — will mean significant changes for both staff and patients of Alberta Health Services.

This story will be updated when more details are announced.

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