Alberta's nurse practitioners able to open own clinics by next year, province says
Alberta Medical Association says changes only create new problems
Alberta will soon allow nurse practitioners to open their own independent clinics in a move the provincial government promises will expand primary care access.
Health Minister Adriana LaGrange made the announcement Wednesday that independent practices would be able to open starting early next year.
It comes as Albertans often go without routine medical care due to a shortage of family doctors.
"This is precisely why we are implementing a nurse practitioner compensation model and closing this funding gap so that we can add much-needed capacity to our primary health-care system and help more Albertans find a regular care provider," LaGrange said.
Under the new model, LaGrange said Alberta Health will compensate nurse practitioners who want to practice independently. Unlike doctors, however, they won't be paid per patient visit and will instead receive a set salary.
Just how much that salary will be isn't yet known.
LaGrange said the province will provide the Nurse Practitioner Association of Alberta (NPAA) with a $2-million grant over three years to help implement the compensation model and encourage nurse practitioners to open their own practices.
Premier Danielle Smith said Wednesday that nurse practitioners have been underutilized in Alberta despite having a wide skill set capable of providing primary care.
While many physicians practice in Alberta, not all of them are family doctors, she said.
Officials expect the compensation model to start rolling out in early 2024.
It will be implemented for at least five years before it's re-evaluated to see if improvements are needed.
'Ready and willing to step up'
NPAA president Susan Prendergast told reporters her organization is thrilled by the decision and is perfectly positioned to ensure members are prepared to meet the health-care needs of Albertans.
The organization has been calling on the Alberta government to allow nurse practitioners to run their own practices since last year.
"There is a large nurse practitioner workforce in Alberta ready and willing to step up," she said.
"Until now, accessing a nurse practitioner has been challenging. This announcement ends those challenges."
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Karen Parker, a nurse practitioner at Compass Health Services in Calgary, said in an interview the announcement is historic and would "significantly improve" access to skilled primary care providers.
Once clinics start opening in the new year, there will be a noticeable and significant difference in how people can access their health care, Parker said.
She also believes it will attract more people to the profession.
"It's been long overdue, but very appropriate to have nurse practitioners embedded in the health-care system, at a time when we are in such a disarray in our primary care system."
Alberta Medical Association pushes back
In a statement posted to social media, the Alberta Medical Association said building capacity is good but that Wednesday's announcement simply creates new problems.
The association said the changes make many family medicine specialists feel less valued. The government should focus on the foundation of primary care with family physicians and rural generalists, it said.
"Family doctors provide cradle-to-grave care," the statement reads. "We love team-based care, but the best medical advice is often only from a physician."
Mary Obstfeld works as a nurse practitioner for a practice in Cold Lake, Alta.
She's pleased by the province's commitment to expand primary care and open up accessibility for patients and nurse practitioners.
Obstfeld said the proposed funding model is different from the province's current "fee for service" model, which pays health-care providers based on each service rendered.
"This is promising," she said.
When asked how soon Albertans might begin seeing independent nurse practitioner clinics open, Prendergast said the process is straightforward and it's just a matter of having infrastructure in place.
"If we can get that infrastructure set up, we should have clinics opening in January, February," she said.
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With files from Cameron MacCuish