Premier Danielle Smith announced Thursday that the Alberta Health Services (AHS) board has been replaced with a full-time experienced administrator, who previously held the role, to make immediate changes to the health care system. Dr. John Cowell has been appointed to carry out health care reform promises made during Smith’s election campaign, the premier said at a news conference.
The premier identified four urgent priorities for the new AHS boss, including improved EMS response times; decreasing emergency room wait times; reducing surgery wait times; and consulting with frontline workers and others to implement long-term reforms.
Cowell said he spent eight days in hospital in February after taking a bad fall and suffering a serious fracture of his left leg. He said he “didn’t like the experience.”…