EDMONTON — Alberta Health Services has extended its contract with Dynalife Diagnostic Laboratory Services for one year.
AHS said the extension, to March 31, 2017, will ensure continuity of lab services for Albertans. The contract extension is on the same terms as the existing agreement, which is worth just over $130 million per year.
“It was important to take immediate steps to ensure the people of Edmonton and central and northern Alberta continue to receive high-quality lab services,” said Vickie Kaminski, AHS president and CEO. “This agreement gives confidence to patients and health care providers that this very important health care service will continue without disruption.”
The contract extension comes two months after Health Minister Sarah Hoffman ordered AHS to stop the expansion of private delivery of lab services in Edmonton and northern Alberta.
Hoffman said in August she hadn’t seen evidence that it would be in the best interest of Albertans, adding her department will do a province-wide review.
READ MORE: Alberta health minister stops expansion of private lab services
Last October, the Progressive Conservative government announced it had entered into negotiations with Sonic Healthcare to provide lab services in Edmonton and northern Alberta.
DynaLife, which provides services in the Edmonton area with 26 patient-care centres and a central lab, appealed the decision. Dynalife won the appeal after a panel determined AHS breached its duty of procedural fairness in the Request for Proposal process.
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