RMA’s End-of-Life Care in Rural Alberta Report

The RMA’s End-of-Life Care in Rural Alberta: The Case for a Sustainable Community Hospice Funding Model report provides an overview of how end-of-life and hospice care are organized and funded, and compares and contrasts access to end-of-life care in rural Alberta to care available in Edmonton and Calgary. The report calls on the Government of Alberta to implement a sustainable hospice funding model to improve end-of-life care for rural Albertans.

Key findings from the report include:

  • Most community hospice societies are currently funded through donations, grants, and clinical funding agreements with AHS. Primary expenses include payroll, fundraising, clinical care costs, and administration.
  • Over 79% of hospice beds are located in Edmonton and Calgary. Rural Alberta has fewer hospice and palliative care beds per 100,000 people than Edmonton or Calgary.
  • Rural Alberta is ageing more quickly and has higher mortality rates.
  • Rural Alberta has a lower density and less access to specialized of end-of- life services.

RMA’s position on hospice and end-of-life care is that rural Albertans should not have to compromise or decide between leaving their community to access all available and specialized end-of-life care services in their home community without the same support.

The report concludes with three sets of recommendations around:

  • Improving hospice in rural Alberta
  • Principles to guide the development of a sustainable community hospice funding model jointly determined with ABmunis and the Alberta Hospice Palliative Care Association
  • Building a sustainable community hospice society funding model