Dean of Medicine appointed to provincial committee advising on patient care and the health system

Posted September 1, 2009

Dr. Tom FeasbyDr. Tom Feasby, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Calgary, has been selected to be part of a 16-member Health Advisory Committee announced today by Alberta Health and Wellness Minister Ron Liepert .

The Minister’s advisory committee has been appointed to ensure appropriate legislation is in place to allow for improved health system performance and patient care.

“Some of our provincial legislation that currently guides Alberta’s health care system is over 100 years old. Our legislation needs to reflect the realities of today.” says Dr. Feasby, “I am pleased to be a part of this committee that will work to improve efficiency in our publicly funded health care system to provide timely access to all Albertans who need care’. 

The group will provide advice on a number of areas related to health legislation that will focus on ways of broadening patient access to health services, promoting wellness and ensuring the health system can respond to emerging issues such as advances in medical technology on a timely basis.

“The committee will inform and guide government on what legislative changes are needed to improve the performance of our publicly funded health care system,” said Health and Wellness Minister Ron Liepert. “At the end of the day, we need to reinvigorate our health care system to ensure it is responding to and meeting the needs of Albertans.”

The committee begins work immediately and will seek input from health sector stakeholders and the public over the next two months. The committee will provide advice to the minister by mid-November.

Dr. Feasby is also a practising neurologist and a health services researcher, who studies the appropriateness of health care interventions.