MLA Homeniuk-Armstrong: Improving public healthcare

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Our government has heard your concerns about healthcare and receiving reliable access to family doctors. We are happy to announce that we are fulfilling our campaign promise of improving public healthcare.

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To address the need for primary care physicians experienced throughout Alberta, especially in rural municipalities, our government has worked alongside the Alberta Medical Association (AMA) to develop a new compensation to support family physicians in developing long-term relationships with their patients and ensure health care needs are met through all phases of a patient’s life.

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Primary healthcare is the foundation of Alberta’s healthcare system. Family physicians and rural generalists are fundamental to ensuring Albertans can receive the care they need when and where they need it. With the help of the AMA consultations, our new physician compensation framework model will help stabilize, strengthen, and improve Alberta’s overall medical system.

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To ensure Albertans have dependable access to primary care in rural areas, we have also included a variety of improvements. This model includes a signed agreement for physicians to provide compressive care, provide a certain number of hours of service, provide most services in-person as opposed to virtually, and a commitment to joining the Central Patient Attachment Registry, a provincial system to track confirmed relationships of a primary care provider and their paneled patients.

Family physicians and rural generalists will be eligible to participate in the compensation model depending on the number of patients they have. Our government is committed to working closely with the AMA to find ways to incentivize doctors to join this new model.

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Our government is thrilled about these new changes and continues to seek new ways that we can improve our healthcare system for the betterment of Albertans throughout our province. As your MLA, I am grateful for the opportunity to advocate for the unique needs showcased throughout our rural constituency, ensuring that our government finds solutions that improve the lives of everyday, hard-working rural and urban Albertans.

Alberta’s healthcare is strong. Our government is committed to moving our province forward and increasing access to our world-class healthcare, so all Albertans can access the best care when and where they need it.

Please contact my constituency office at fortsaskatchewan.vegreville@assembly.ab.ca if you have any questions or concerns.

Jackie Armstrong-Homeniuk is the MLA for Fort Saskatchewan-Vegreville, which includes parts of rural Strathcona County, and Parliamentary Secretary for Settlement Services and Ukrainian Evacuees.

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