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STATISTICS CANADA has reported that the average length (1994/95) of stay in acute-care hospitals without long term beds has dropped to 6.6 days from a high of 9.6 days in 1987/88. Total costs in these same hospitals has decreased to $2.9 billion in 1994/95 from $3.4 billion in 1992/93.

ALBERTA health authorities have refused the application made by several Edmonton area physicians to lease a portion of closed Leduc General Hospital. They had offered to pay $4.9 million over ten years to operate their Hotel de Health facility that would offer fee-for-service interventions not covered under the provinces health schedule to Albertans and alternative health care sites to Americans.

NEWFOUNDLAND'S new budget released this summer has added $2 million to the provinces current $907 million health care budget. Finance Minister, Paul Dicks indicated that user fees would become a fact of life for most Newfoundland's citizens. Newfoundland is one of 3 provinces, including Manitoba and Nova Scotia that continue to battle with the federal government over user fees. Together these three provinces have lost $600,000 in transfer payments as a result of their defiance of the federal government. Alberta had been part of this group, but reneged in July of this year after having lost $3.6 million in transfer payments.

ONTARIO's provincial nurses union has presented their vision of a cost-effective health care system. The Integrated Delivery System model they are proposing would be publicly owned and funded, and accountable under the Canada Health Act. It would be governed by the community, but guided by standards and guidelines set out by the province. Decisions on allocation of resources would be determined by needs-based planning and evidence of outcomes and effectiveness.