Alberta ERs still waiting for promised triage liaison physicians
Four months after pledging to station doctors in waiting rooms, the government and medical association are still negotiating pay.
More than four months after pledging to station emergency physicians in hospital waiting rooms to monitor for deteriorating patients, Alberta still hasn't deployed triage liaison physicians (TLPs) in six Edmonton and Calgary ERs.
The province promised the role would begin February 1 after 44-year-old Prashant Sreekumar died waiting for care at Grey Nuns Community Hospital in Edmonton in December. TLPs would watch for health crises among patients in crowded waiting areas, order tests, and start early treatment.
Dr. Brian Wirzba, president of the Alberta Medical Association, said negotiations should have wrapped in weeks. Instead, talks have stalled as the government and AMA disagree over compensation. The province only offered additional pay after the AMA raised it during broader negotiations about physician pay arrangements.
"There is a lot of frustration within the emergency physician group with regards to how long this has taken," Wirzba said. He said the AMA escalated the issue to Premier Danielle Smith's office and expects resolution within a month.
Wirzba described the role as a stop-gap measure for one or two years while health authorities make longer-term changes to reduce ER pressure. Some emergency physicians remain interested in taking the shifts alongside their regular hours.
Hospital and Surgical Health Services Minister Adriana LaGrange's office said recruitment talks are ongoing. Registered nurses now have expanded responsibilities in emergency departments, including monitoring patients in waiting rooms.