Alberta Minister of Health Adriana LaGrange during a news conference on October 18, 2023. LaGrange has issued a statement and update on actions being taken to address the physician shortage in the province, November 1, 2023. (Photo: Government of Alberta - YourAlberta on YouTube)

By Justin Goulet

PHYSICIAN SHORTAGE

Health minister addresses physician shortage in Alberta

Nov 1, 2023 | 3:41 PM

EDMONTON, AB – Minister of Health Adriana LaGrange has issued a statement and update on actions being taken to address the shortage of physicians in Alberta.

On Wednesday, LaGrange said that, according to the most recent figures from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta, 255 physicians have registered to practice in the province over the last four months.

“In addition to these 255 new registrants, 248 physicians and surgeons choose to remain in Alberta after completing their training,” LaGrange said.

She noted that Alberta Health Services (AHS) has successfully onboarded 190 of those doctors to work in hospitals in the province. LaGrange said, “They have been strategically placed in both urban and rural hospitals, including communities such as Vermilion, Grande Prairie and the Crowsnest Pass.”

She added, “This is a clear sign that our efforts to recruit and retain doctors in Alberta is working.”

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LaGrange’s statement continued, “We are committed to strengthening Alberta’s health care system, which is why we committed to a record-breaking $2 billion towards primary health care in Budget 2023. We are continuing this important work through our Health Care Action Plan and through the Modernizing Alberta’s Primary Health Care System initiative.”

Some of the work she said is being done includes creating a primary health care division and an Indigenous division within the Ministry of Health, working toward a new payment model for family physicians, and providing an initial investment of $57 million over three years to help family physicians and nurse practitioners across the province with growing patient caseloads.

LaGrange concluded by saying that more work is needed, “but these positive numbers are a sign that our plan is working.”