MDs, minister don't see eye to eye

A meeting between some of Alberta's eye surgeons and the health minister has failed to clear up disagreement on the future of cataract surgeries and corneal transplants in the province.

Opthamologists met with Alberta Health Minister Gene Zwozdesky over the weekend to discuss the province's contentious move earlier this month to consolidate those procedures to just four centres —  two in Calgary, and two in Edmonton.

The decision was touted as a way to save $1.4 million annually and cut year-long waiting times. But facilities that were previously providing the operations were given only three days' notice that the province was making the switch.

The Opposition and some specialists sharply criticized the province, as surgeries had to be cancelled and staff laid off from some clinics.

Some surgeons even refused to go along with the changes, leaving his operating room sitting empty half the time, said Dr. Robert Mitchell, whose clinic is one of two in Calgary that was awarded the contract for eye surgeries.

'I don't think mistakes were made' —Gene Zwozdesky, health minister

"The doctors were upset. They didn't know quite what to do, so they just cancelled. They cancelled everything," he said.

"The meeting didn't accomplish anything if you were looking for change. Alberta Health Services didn't change anything except to say that they would initiate consultation in the future, which is a good idea. Had they done so this time we wouldn't have had this dislocation."

Minister defends decision

The province has listened to the criticism and will be looking for input from surgeons before future decisions are made, Zwozdesky said. But he stood by the decision to consolidate the procedures.

"I don't think mistakes were made. What I think is that the surgeons and the facility operators would have benefitted from a more consultative process. That's what they told me and so that's what we're going to assure them going forward," he said, adding that 1,000 extra surgeries will be paid for as part of an upcoming boost in funding.

While the meeting did not result in a change of course by the province, it did give the doctors a chance to tell the minister the process was flawed, according to Mitchell, who said many of the specialists will now accept the changes.

"The minister said 'yeah, we goofed on that.' They did the right thing in the wrong way," Mitchell said.

But Dr. Thad Demong — whose Rocky Mountain Surgery Centre in Calgary lost the contract for eye surgeries in the consolidation — was disappointed by what he heard. 

He said Alberta Health is awarding the contracts to the lowest bidder, which puts patients at risk.

"It won't be long before people start to cut corners," he said, adding that his own practice will now focus on private surgeries.