Alberta's new pay model promises better conditions for doctors and patients

The Alberta government is rolling out a new primary care physician compensation model, a structure it says will make the province's family doctors "the strongest paid and most patient focused" in Canada.

Premier Danielle Smith and Health Minister Adriana LaGrange announced the update to the model, which they say will help encourage them to take on more patients.

"We've been working hard with our partners at the Alberta Medical Association (AMA) to develop a compensation model that will not only support Alberta's doctors, but also improve Albertans' access to physicians," Smith said in a news release.

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The province says the new model will offer incentives to doctors who take on more patients, provide after-hours care, utilize better technology, enhance team-based care and take steps to make their clinics more efficient.

It will also make sure family doctors who are not compensated under the traditional fee-for-service model receive more money.

"This new compensation model will make Alberta more attractive for physicians and will make sure more Albertans can have improved access to a primary care provider no matter where they live. It will also help support efforts to strengthen primary care in Alberta as the foundation of the health care system," said Kim Simmonds, Primary Care Alberta CEO.

The changes to the payment model came after the province signed a memorandum of understanding last year.

Since then, the AMA and the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) have been sounding the alarm over the family doctor situation.

This week, the CIHI released a report that indicated the number of new family doctors opening practices in Alberta had slowed.

The AMA said about 700,000 Albertans did not have a family doctor in 2023. It also said it's seen many doctors closing their practices because of a lack of action by the government.

Now that the new compensation model is here, the AMA said it recognizes the expertise and dedication of Alberta's family doctors and will help attract and retain more physicians.

"Family physicians have been anxiously awaiting today's announcement about the new compensation model. We anticipate this model will allow many primary care physicians to continue to deliver comprehensive, life-long care to their patients, while keeping their community clinics viable," said Dr. Sarah Bates, president of the family medicine section with the AMA.

Enrolment in the new model will begin in January, with full implementation expected by spring 2025 if there are at least 500 physicians enrolled.