Alberta Surgical Group says it did nothing wrong regarding health contracts
Alberta Health Minister Adriana LaGrange makes a health care announcement in Calgary on Dec. 21, 2023.Todd Korol/The Canadian Press
A privately owned surgical firm in Alberta said Friday it is “deeply shocked and dismayed” by what it describes as false allegations levelled by the provincial health authority’s former chief executive, including her claims that she was pressed to sign a contract with the company despite concerns over inflated costs.
Les Scheelar, Alberta Surgical Group’s chief executive and medical director, issued a statement after The Globe and Mail this week reported Athana Mentzelopoulos, in a letter her lawyer sent to her former employer, alleges that government officials pressed her to sign new deals for chartered surgical facilities, including an extension for ASG. Ms. Mentzelopoulos alleges, in the Jan. 20 letter, this interference came despite significant concerns within Alberta Health Services around the true ownership and costs of CSFs and concerns over “significantly increased” costs of a proposed new deal with ASG.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith’s government terminated Ms. Mentzelopoulos as AHS’s CEO two days before she was scheduled to meet with the province’s Auditor-General to discuss her internal investigations at AHS. Auditor-General Doug Wylie, on Thursday, confirmed he is examining procurement and contract practices at the health authority, and that his probe will include chartered surgical facilities. CSFs are privately-owned outfits where physicians perform operations paid for by the public health care system.
“We at Alberta Surgical Group are deeply shocked and dismayed by the allegations currently being circulated in the media,” Dr. Scheelar said in the statement. “ASG has always been committed to upholding the highest standards of patient care, safety, and professional integrity. The claims being made are false and do not reflect our values, our mission, or the dedication of our team to providing exemplary surgical services efficiently and cost effectively.”
Dr. Scheelar did not refer to any specific allegations. Ms. Mentzelopoulos’s eight-page letter did not accuse ASG of any wrongdoing.
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The former executive’s lawyer sent the letter to AHS as part of her severance negotiation. In it, she alleges ASG received richer payments than comparable private companies and AHS was potentially paying the firm for services it was not using. Ms. Mentzelopoulos said she paused negotiations with ASG.
Ms. Mentzelopoulos also alleges Jitendra Prasad, who previously was in charge of procurement at AHS, “appeared” to be retained or engaged by people involved with CSFs and other purchasing contracts, while also advising AHS and Alberta Health on those same deals.
Mr. Prasad has not acknowledged multiple requests for comment this week.
“ASG welcomes the opportunity to address any concerns regarding its operations and agreements with AHS and Alberta Health,” Dr. Scheelar said in the statement. “ASG has operated in good faith and has been fully transparent with respect to its ownership, operations and all other components of the surgical care it provides to Albertans.”
Dr. Scheelar said the firm will work with the Auditor-General to “dispel any concerns surrounding our provision of surgical services so we can continue with our primary mission of providing surgical care to Albertans.”
ASG, Dr. Scheelar said, will not comment further because this “appears to be a disagreement with the former CEO over her dismissal” and because of the potential for legal action.
AHS, the Premier’s Office, and Health Minister Adriana LaGrange’s office, did not acknowledge requests for comment submitted late Friday afternoon.