Hospital overcapacity has been a persistent issue in Alberta. In 2025, alternate level of care (ALC) patients, on average, occupied 14.5 per cent of bed days in hospitals, above the 13.5 per cent provincial target. More than 6,300 patients spent between eight and 24 days in hospital unnecessarily rather than in environments more appropriate for their required level of care. In some very complex cases, ALC patients stayed 300 days or longer in the hospital.
In 2025, Health Quality Alberta worked with government representatives and other healthcare system partners to take an evidence-informed look at the current state of ALC and identify opportunities to optimize patient flow and access to community-based solutions across the province.
The Health Quality Alberta review team conducted 51 interviews between February 25 and May 20, 2025, with relevant health partners and key individuals involved in and responsible for ALC transitions.
In addition, the team reviewed policies and data to identify systemic issues, analyzed previously commissioned studies on ALC in Alberta, and completed a jurisdictional review to learn about promising programs, practices, and initiatives underway outside of Alberta.
