File photo of HAIG Medical Clinic in Lethbridge. (Image Credit: Lethbridge News Now)

By David Opinko

86% of southern Albertans have a family doctor: report

Feb 19, 2026 | 9:14 AM

New provincial reports show a growing number of residents who live south of Calgary are connected to a primary care provider.

The Alberta Government’s new Health System Dashboard shows that 86 per cent of people in the southwest and southeast regions are attached to a family doctor, nurse practitioner or pediatrician in 2024-25.

That is a little higher than the provincial average of 83 per cent.

It is also an improvement from 82 per cent in the southwest in 2020-21 and from 79 per cent in the southeast.

Province-wide, 84 per cent of adult Albertans had a regular healthcare provider in 2024, which is slightly above the Canadian average of 83 per cent.

Nighttime construction on Hwy 3 in Lethbridge starts April 17

Apr 17, 2025

SASHA launches #BuyABed fundraiser to support vulnerable Lethbridge residents

Apr 04, 2025

$20K grants available: TELUS STORYHIVE Pan-Asian Edition opens applications April 1

Mar 18, 2025

Meanwhile, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta reports that there were 315 practicing physicians in Lethbridge in the fourth quarter of 2025, across all specialties, an increase of five from the end of 2024.

The number of doctors in other southern Alberta communities includes:

• Airdrie: 115 physicians, up 16 from one year ago
• Brooks: 24 physicians, up one from one year ago
• Calgary: 5,465 physicians, up 341 from one year ago
• Medicine Hat: 195 physicians, up six from one year ago

@lethbridgenewsnow 86% of southern Albertans have a family doctor. Learn more at LethbridgeNewsNow.com #YQL #LNN #Lethbridge #Alberta #News ♬ New Sun – Chihei Hatakeyama

Kim Simmonds, CEO of Primary Care Alberta, says they have made strides in improving access to primary healthcare since the agency launched one year ago.

“Our first year was about bringing teams together and building the foundation for stronger primary care across Alberta. Now we’re focused on practical improvements that make it easier for people to find care and navigate the system. Alberta Find a Provider is one important step in that work,” says Simmonds.

Between April and December 2025, a total of 8,079 surgeries were completed at Chinook Regional Hospital, an increase of nearly 10 per cent from the same period in 2024.

That includes 1,886 cataract surgeries, 466 knee surgeries, 305 for hips, 73 shoulder operations, and 5,349 that were classified as “other.”

Outside of Calgary and Edmonton, only the Red Deer Regional Hospital performed more operations this past year.

Nearly 19,000 women in Lethbridge had been screened for cervical cancer in 2022-24, or just under two-thirds of those who were eligible. This is slightly higher than the provincial average of 62.3 per cent.

Alberta was tied with Saskatchewan for having the highest cervical cancer screening participation rates in 2024 at 75 per cent.

The government recently launched AlbertaFindAProvider.ca, which shows clinics, family doctors and nurse practitioners who are currently accepting new patients.

As of this publication, none in Lethbridge are taking patients, but there are openings at Coulee Medical Clinic in Taber, Picture Butte Medical Centre, and the Cardston Clinic.