CALGARY - Patients from a private clinic were fast-tracked at a colonoscopy centre in Calgary, an Alberta health inquiry heard Tuesday.Witnesses told the Alberta Health Services queue-jumping inquiry that patients under the care of Helios Health and Wellness, a private clinic in Calgary, were tested faster than those under the public system.
Samantha Mallyon, who was a clerk at the Forzani and MacPhail Colon Cancer Screening Centre, testified that all Helios' patients were given priority, although they were not considered high risk.
"The Helios referrals were physically walked up to me," said Mallyon, who no longer works at the screening centre.
"A staff member from that clinic would hand them to me over the desk.
"They were mostly shown to the triage nurses, but it honestly wouldn't matter what they were triaged as, because they were booked within a week or two."
Mallyon said she was instructed by her superiors to fast track Helios patients through a process that normally took up to a four-year wait.
Dave Beninger, currently a clerk at the screening centre, also testified routine and non-urgent patients from Helios were able to jump the long queue for colonoscopies.
He said he felt guilty booking those patients because those from the public system had to wait for a longer period of time.
Beninger said he saw at least 10 charts where there was preferential treatment of patients, mostly referred to the centre by Helios.
"This was a concern and every time it happened, and I thought it was happening, I felt guilty."
The inquiry resumes Wednesday with Alberta Deputy Premier Thomas Lukaszuk slated to take the stand.
Original Article
Source: sunnewsnetwork.ca
Author: RENATO GANDIA
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