Alberta emergency medicine in crisis as province announced leadership change: doctor [Video]

Alberta has named two temporary chief executive officers in the shifting acute health-care system, a move one Edmonton emergency medicine specialist says does little to address the current crisis in front-line medicine.

In a Wednesday press release, the province announced deputy minister of Alberta Health Andre Tremblay has been appointed interim president and CEO of Alberta Health Services (AHS).

Dr. Chris Eagle, president and CEO of AHS from 2010 to 2013, was also announced as the chair and interim president and CEO of Acute Care Alberta, one of the four new health agencies replacing AHS.

The province said the two appointments will bring in “the expertise and experience needed to continue refocusing the health-care system.”

Alberta Medical Association section of emergency medicine president Dr. Warren Thirsk called the announcement “the appearance of change” without any real progress on the front lines.

“These people are apparently temporary, so this is the …