MLA Phillips developing Lethbridge-specific health recruitment plan

The MLA says she hears from her constituents almost every day about the shortage of healthcare workers in Lethbridge, whether it be for family doctors, OBGYNs, or others.

Phillips told media on Friday, February 3, 2023, that she anticipates things will get even worse if the UCP are re-elected in the May 2023 provincial election.

During the 2022 UCP leadership campaign, Danielle Smith spoke about the benefits of creating health spending accounts (HSA), where Albertans would receive a certain amount of money each year to pay for health-related costs that are not covered under the publicly-funded system.

That was one of the key initiatives Smith presented to Health Minister Jason Copping in his mandate letter last fall. Finance Minister Travis Toews has indicated that HSAs will be part of the next provincial budget, which is set to be presented on February 28, 2023.

According to Phillips, a system involving HSAs would lead to many Albertans having to pay for healthcare out-of-pocket or even turning to fundraising websites to be able to afford their care.

“We believe that every Albertan, no matter how much you have in your bank account, deserves equal access to high-quality care, covered by universal, public healthcare insurance,” says Phillips. “Healthcare when you need it, not when you can afford it.”

Phillips also took aim at the UCP’s strategy in recent years to partner with more chartered surgical facilities.

Minister Copping has stated that these privately-run facilities are key to ensuring more surgeries are conducted in the province, and that the surgical wait lists get reduced as quickly as possible. Copping adds that these facilities are paid for using public health funds.

On the other hand, Phillips says patients will still end up paying more for surgeries, because the companies have an added profit motive, whereas Alberta Health Services (AHS) does not.

“What ends up happening is [chartered surgical facilities] charge extra fees to people who need some of these surgeries,” says Phillips. “Essentially, patients are in a situation where they are choosing between the basic level and the ‘Cadillac version’ of healthcare that they can pay out-of-pocket for.”

Alternatively, Phillips says the Alberta NDP would keep healthcare public if elected this spring, adding that more details will be provided soon.

“We will be rolling out our plans for family medicine to ensure that everyone in Lethbridge has access to a family doctor and the primary care that they need,” says Phillips.

Although she did not state when the plans would be announced, she said it would include a Lethbridge-specific plan for the recruitment and retention of healthcare professionals.

Phillips says she would want to grow capacity under the public healthcare system at AHS, particularly when it comes to surgeons, specialists, and family medicine.

“There’s no question that ensuring that we have a competent government at the helm that respects public healthcare is, I think, the first step there,” says Phillips.

She adds that she would like to see a new model of compensation for healthcare workers, and have more health-related infrastructure built in places like Lethbridge.

Lethbridge is one of many communities that has been struggling to attract and retain enough family physicians in recent years.

The provincial government announced in January 2023 plans to explore the creation of doctor training centres at the University of Lethbridge and Northwestern Polytechnic in Grande Prairie.

Alberta Health Services (AHS) is currently working to bring 17 international doctors to the city in the first half of 2023, a few of whom have already begun their practices.

In its most recent Physician Resources in Alberta report, covering the period between October 1 and December 31, 2022, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta states that there were 278 fully-registered physicians practicing in Lethbridge. This marks an increase of four from the previous quarter, but a decrease of 11 compared to the same time the year prior.

The Chinook Primary Care Network said in a presentation to Lethbridge City Council in December 2021 that nearly one-quarter of people in the Lethbridge area, or 45,733 residents, did not have access to a family physician.

by David Opinko

MLA Phillips developing Lethbridge-specific health recruitment plan

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