Alberta is expanding a new surgery funding approach for public hospitals, moving toward activity-based payments tied to the number and types of procedures performed. Instead of allocating a broad, fixed budget for surgeries, the province increasingly funds hospital operators based on the volume and mix of surgeries they deliver. The policy is being partially rolled out to additional public hospitals, with implementation described as a shift in how funding follows patient care.
Across reporting, the change is framed as a way to better reflect the current costs of different surgery types and to encourage hospitals to perform more of the procedures they provide. The Edmonton Journal characterizes the goal as starting with what it currently costs for each surgery category and using that information to support hospitals in expanding capacity. Global News similarly describes the funding model as replacing blanket surgery budgets with payments linked to activity.
The Winnipeg Free Press notes the expansion is partial, indicating the rollout is staged rather than fully applied statewide at once.
