Alberta hits record number of physicians but many still struggling to find family doctors

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Alberta hits record number of physicians but many still struggling to find family doctors

Alberta’s Health Minister says the province has more doctors than ever before—but are patients and physicians feeling the difference?

Recently shared statistics by Alberta’s Health Minister show the province now has a record 12,212 physicians, with 474 added in just 2024.

It marks one of the highest growth years in over a decade, according to the ministry. But, one Calgary physician says it doesn’t appear to be getting any easier for patients to find a family doctor.

Dr. Asim Hussain is family doctor at the Edgemont Medical Centre in northwest Calgary, a clinic that has recently seen an addition of three new physicians. He says it’s still not enough and to meet the increase in demand and they have recently opened their doors to walk-ins.

Hussain the clinics registered patients are the ones that are taking the hit.

“Sometimes for a normal appointment, patients have to wait for at least two weeks to see me, or sometimes longer because I just don’t have the space,” he says.

He says the only solution is to work longer hours, which increases the risk of burnout.

In a statement to CityNews, the office of the minister of health says the province-wide physician supply has roughly matched population growth since 2019.

“While we are encouraged by the highest physician growth in over a decade in 2024, matching our exceptional recent population growth, we recognize there is still more work to be done,” reads the statement.

“That’s why we are continuing to take significant action to refocus the health care system, specifically with the creation of Primary Care Alberta.”

Primary Care Alberta, the new provincial health agency that oversees and coordinates the delivery of primary care in the province became operational last year. The province has said the new agency will set standards for primary care so services are consistent.

The UCP government announced a new pay model for family doctors in December that they claim will attract more doctors to Alberta and keep existing physicians from leaving.

Compensation will focus on three billing components of patient interactions, panel size and time of direct or indirect care. It is for family doctors with a panel size of 500 or more patients.

Hussain says he welcomes the province’s addition of more doctors but says the ripple effect of the new hires will take months, maybe even years to be reflected in the overall healthcare system.

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