With doctors continuing to be a cornerstone of health care across the province, news that the number of physicians practising in Alberta has risen to record levels is welcomed.
According to Minster of Health Adrianna Grange, there are now 11,756 physicians in the province, an increase of 4.4 per cent over the same time last year.
“At a time when rural Albertans are experiencing difficulty in accessing physician care, I am especially pleased to see significant year-over-year growth in the number of practising physicians in rural Alberta,” said LaGrange.
“The central zone had the fastest growth, with an increase of 59 physicians from the same period last year, for a 7.5 per cent increase, followed by the south zone, with an increase of 31 physicians, a 5.4 per cent increase.”
LaGrange says the increase in physician numbers is due, at least in part, to government-directed efforts under its Health Workforce Strategy, an initiative that aims to retain and recruit physicians for rural and urban communities.
The recruitment and retention work now underway will continue going forward, she says.
“We’re not stopping our efforts to attract more physicians,” she said, noting that the province is striving to increase spaces in medical schools, residency positions and training opportunities for international medical graduates.
While the increase in the number of physicians working in rural communities is certainly good news, challenges remain.
For example, according to a recent large-scale survey, more than 70 per cent of Albertans report that wait times to see medical professionals remains a major concern. As well, a third of those surveyed said they have avoided going to an emergency room due to concerns about long wait times.
The province should be applauded for its efforts to recruit and retain more physicians in Alberta, efforts that benefit patients, their families and the community-at-large.
At the same time, more should also be done to tackle ongoing challenges, including the need to recruit and retain more nurses and to address wait time concerns.
Dan Singleton is an editor with the Albertan.
