Edmonton Health Sciences Centre

The Alberta government cut its health-care budget and the Edmonton Health Sciences Centre needed to find savings of $15 million. When the recommendation for cuts was announced to the medical staff, it was learned that 18 services would be cut. Five surgeons voiced their opposition to the plan and were denied a review by the hospital administration. The surgeons had not been included in the consultation because the board decided that the surgeons could not be objective about the viability of their own programs. After the surgeons approached both the media and the board of directors, the chair of the medical advisory committee considered whether to respond to the public statements and the effect that a public discussion might have on the board's upcoming vote. The related case, Breaking the News to the Media, product 9B02C045, is available and discusses the surgeon's concerns on the process.