Results of an external review of the Forzani and MacPhail Colon Cancer Screening Centre that was ordered after allegations of preferential treatment were brought forward have been released.

The review was ordered by Alberta Health Services in May 2013 in response to evidence presented during the Health Services Preferential Access Inquiry.

According to reviewers, preferential access did occur at the CCSC but an audit conducted in the spring showed there was no indication of any further occurrences of improper preferential access at the facility.

AHS says it took immediate steps to address queue-jumping concerns when they first came to light and is working to strengthen those initiatives further.

“Decisions on access to services must and will be based on patients’ clinical circumstances and needs. We are focused on providing quality patient care to Albertans, regardless of who they are,” said Brenda Huband, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the South Sector of AHS. “Equal access is part of our organizational culture and our responsibility to Albertans. Providing a sustainable provincial health care system that is available and accessible to everyone has been and will be a priority for AHS.”

The scope of the review included:

  • Assessment of the Centre’s prior and current triage, booking and wait-listing procedures.
  • Determination of the key factors contributing to the triage, booking and wait-listing concerns.
  • Assessment of the Centre’s work environment and overall functioning.
  • An examination of the prior internal review undertaken in May-June 2012

AHS says work is underway to address several recommendations that came out of the review including; developing a transparent and consistent referral process for clinical consultations and procedures, triage and booking processes, and wait-list management strategies.

It is also working to finalize an “organization-wide policy to ensure all AHS staff and physicians understand what constitutes improper preferential access and how to report requests or instances of it should they occur”.

The view the full report, click here or view the report below.