Alberta government controls AHS contracts with private clinics

Documents obtained by CBC News show that the Alberta provincial government has been closely involved in the way Alberta Health Services (AHS) contracts private surgery clinics. This runs contrary to statements made by Premier Danielle Smith and Health Minister Adriana LaGrange, who claimed that AHS handles these matters independently. The papers reveal that LaGrange has intervened directly in AHS contracting. For instance, in October 2023, she ordered AHS to renew a contract with an Edmonton surgery clinic, specifying the prices and the number of surgeries. This suggests a level of control that contradicts the government's claims of AHS being solely responsible for procurement. There are ongoing investigations by the RCMP and the auditor general into AHS's contracting practices, following allegations from former AHS CEO Athana Mentzelopoulos. Her wrongful dismissal lawsuit includes claims about being fired for looking into these issues. Both LaGrange and AHS state that the termination was due to her failure to fulfill her duties. Further complicating the narrative, documents show that the province has been taking steps to oversee AHS's procurement processes for several years. A secretariat was created in 2020 to enhance governmental oversight, and its influence continued even after the leadership changed in 2022. Critics, including former AHS executives, argue that the government has been heavily involved in decisions about contracting, contradicting the claim that these are internal AHS matters. The former AHS officials assert that this level of government intervention can compromise objectivity in procurement decisions. Despite the government’s insistence on non-involvement, experts suggest that such interference is not new and has persisted through various administrations. They emphasize the need for a clearer separation between government policy-making and the operational responsibilities of health agencies to ensure that public interests are prioritized. The current situation reflects a complex relationship between the Alberta government and AHS, with implications for transparency and accountability in the province's health care contracts.