CHAT News File Photo

By Teagan Rasche

Doctor working out of car and home concerned for future of health care

Mar 26, 2021 | 3:19 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – His new office is his car and home.

After his salary was nearly cut in half, Dr. Bill Ruzycki. was forced to close his office doors.

“We were chronically underfunded like back in the ’90s,” Ruzycki said. “We had less doctors, we struggled to get doctors here in Medicine Hat. Welcome back to those times. Things are going to decline here.”

As for the future of Alberta health care, Ruzycki says those in rural areas and obstetrics will be most impacted.

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Alberta doctors are voting on a new contract with the government. This is after a year-long fight regarding pay and working conditions.

In early 2020 Health Minister Tyler Shandro unilaterally canceled the master agreement with the Alberta Medical Association. He also imposed new fees that negatively impacted doctors, even causing some to close their practices.

Shandro announced today he regrets downplaying the frustrations doctors are going through. He also admits there is work to be done to rebuild trust with doctors.

The new agreement will be voted on by April 1.