Haig Medical Clinic in Lethbridge, file photo. (Image: Lethbridge News Now)

By David Opinko

17 new family doctors to begin practicing in Lethbridge

Sep 15, 2022 | 11:30 AM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – Lethbridge residents who have been looking for family physicians might soon be able to get one.

In a statement to LNN, Alberta Health Services (AHS) confirms that 17 family medicine physicians have committed to Lethbridge and are awaiting their College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta (CPSA) practice readiness assessments.

Prospective patients might not have to wait too much longer.

“Four of the 17 have commenced the first portion of their assessment, which will target their practice start in Lethbridge in the fall; the remainder are expected to start practice in Lethbridge between December and March 2023,” reads a statement from AHS.

AHS continues to say that the recruitment work of licensed physicians will continue with the creation of a new marketing strategy.

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In May 2022, the City of Lethbridge approved a series of initiatives aimed at attracting more doctors to the community, including the allocation of $15,000 to a marketing campaign in partnership with the Chinook Primary Care Network (CPCN), Alberta Health Services (AHS), Economic Development Lethbridge, and other interested groups.

Dr. Michael Auld, a Medical Director in Alberta’s South Zone, said at the city council meeting that marketing efforts would be used to showcase the lifestyle in Lethbridge and to leverage more money out of other parties.

Lethbridge City Council also wrote a letter to Health Minister Jason Copping back in the spring, advocating for the creation of an academic teaching clinic in the city. At the time of publication, there have been no updates on this.

READ MORE: Lethbridge City Council approves measures to recruit doctors

The availability of family doctors has been an issue in Lethbridge for many years.

The CPSA reports in its Physician Resources Report for April 1, 2022, to June 30, 2022, that there were 278 fully-registered physicians practicing in Lethbridge. While this represented an increase of two doctors from the previous quarter, it is still 14 fewer than in the same period last year.

The CPCN said in December 2021 that nearly one-quarter of people in the Lethbridge area, or 14,098 residents, did not have access to a family physician.

The website, AlbertaFindADoctor.ca, does not currently show any family physicians who are accepting new patients in Lethbridge.

READ MORE: Nearly 1/4 in Lethbridge and area have no family doctor; Presentation