Calgary lab delays raise privatization concerns

Lagging times at Calgary labs for things like blood tests are again raising concern, with some people saying delays are affecting their health.

Concerns were first raised late last year, after community lab services underwent privatization. Effective Dec. 5, 2022, Alberta Precision Laboratory went private, while hospitals and urgent care sites also stopped taking outpatient lab requests. Meanwhile, Edmonton-based DynaLIFE Medical Labs took on more provincial lab work — about 65 per cent — through a contract with the Alberta government.

“In 2019, it was like you could book within that week,” Calgary’s Juliette Burges told CityNews, adding now, the wait is more like a month.

Having a chronic illness, Burges is required to get blood work done every three months. But even booking that has been a struggle.

“They didn’t have appointments available to book out three months from now, at all. Their calendar doesn’t upload that far in advance,” she told CityNews, noting delays have meant she hasn’t been able to get tested like the doctor ordered.

“My doctor’s not getting the results that she needs,” Burges explained, adding, “it’s certainly created a bit of a pain in the butt.”

With so much talk about privatization, she worries about what further changes could mean for other aspects of the health system.

“We’re already starting to see how the priority is not the care so much as it is the organization’s needs,” Burges said.

In a statement, DynaLIFE says it understands the importance of timely care and access.

“Turnaround times for both urgent and routine tests are closely monitored to meet stringent requirements. AHS and DynaLIFE are working collaboratively to improve appointment capacity during the first-year post-transition,” an email from the company reads.

It notes booking online is just one way to secure an appointment, adding Albertans can also phone the appointment line to speak to staff who can try to get a time slot sooner.

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Walk-in service is also available, DynaLIFE says, as are “standing orders.”

“They can be in place for up to 12 months,” the email explains. “The patient would present with the requisition, we would serve the patient, stamp the expiration date on the requisition and return it to the patient in a sleeve for them to present at their next visit.”

However, for Burges, not all of these options are realistic.

“It would be really hard to try and attempt to get a walk-in lab appointment unless you have a lot of time to wait,” she said.

In an update last month, the province said it was working with DynaLIFE on its workload.

“There is some transition piece, right? But we are working with DynaLIFE to not only invest in increasing capacity but to be able to reduce those wait times there. They are, like many of our health care professionals, they are dealing with some of the same challenges that the broader health care system is in terms of staffing. So it’s not only about nurses and doctors and paramedics, but it’s also about technicians,” Health Minister Jason Copping said Feb. 27.

He pointed to funding allocated in this year’s budget to train and hire new staff in the sector, adding that money is also meant to support testing.

“It wasn’t specific to one of my four priorities but I’m certainly aware of your concern,” Dr. John Cowell, the official administrator for Alberta Health Services, said at the same news conference.

AHS CEO Mauro Chies added “some bumps” were expected during the transition period, adding wait times and delays in Calgary will ease as time moves on.

But in the meantime, the province assured Albertans “help is coming.”

“We understand that there’s challenges right now, as Mauro Chies indicated, there is some transition that’s going on. But we’ll get through this period of time right now but the reality is is that we move forward. The intent behind this was actually to improve access to care. It will work,” Copping said of the switch to DynaLIFE.