The province’s decision to dismantle Alberta Health Services in favour of four separate health care delivery organizations has local medical professionals both excited and concerned.
Dr. Alfred Durojaye, president of the St. Albert and Sturgeon Primary Care Network (PCN), said the organization of primary care doctors is still trying to understand potential impacts of the announcement.
Any major reform of the health care system could cause staff to worry about the security of their jobs, he said.
“We’re working hard to make sure our staff know just how valuable they are to the PCN,” he said.
The province’s new primary care organization will “coordinate primary health care services and provide transparent provincial oversight,” according to a government press release. It will cover visits to family doctors or nurse practitioners, consultations with specialists, preventative care and chronic disease management.
“It’s certainly positive that a spotlight is being put on primary care as foundational to the health care system … We hope that [it] will translate directly to patient care and access to primary care services,” Durojaye said.
But Durojaye said that doctors in the PCN have “mixed feelings” about the decision.
“There have been many changes to health care in Alberta over the last 20 years and to date we haven’t found the perfect answer,” he said. “Change is always difficult and raises both excitement and concern.”
Work for primary care doctors in the city should “continue as usual,” Durojaye said.
“St. Albert has been fortunate in that our number of physicians has remained somewhat stable over time. We have seen some family physicians leave practice for various reasons, but we’ve also seen a few begin practice in the area. We have a strong PCN, with physician members and amazing staff who are truly committed to the patients they serve. This bodes well for the future of primary care in the St. Albert and Sturgeon County area.”
The Gazette contacted several health care deliverers affected by the change and heard back from Covenant Health, which manages Youville Home, a long-term care facility in St. Albert.
"Regrettably, we don’t have any further information we can share at this time, as it’s too early in the process. We ask for your patience as we navigate these changes,” an email from Covenant Health said.
The Gazette reached out to for Morinville-St. Albert MLA and Service Alberta Minister Dale Nally for comment on the changes but did not hear back before publication deadline.
