The findings of a new survey into the workload of Canada's physicians highlights the need for Alberta's health system to keep up with changing times.
The recently released 2010 National Physician Survey (NPS), conducted by the Canadian Medical Association, found that physicians in all provinces are facing increasingly complex care situations and are spending more and more time managing chronic care patients.
Additional administrative work, an aging population and growing patient expectations are all adding to the burden on physicians, the survey found.
The 12,000-physician poll also found that physicians continue to work significantly longer than the traditional hour week, with an average work week lasting 51.4 hours, including 32.7 hours spent in direct patient care.
Along with nurses and other front-line health workers, physicians are, of course, a key component of Alberta's health system. As such, ensuring that the province's doctors are able to continue to do their vital jobs is obviously in the interest of all Albertans.
Unfortunately, the province's doctors and the Stelmach government may now be on a collision course in the run-up to the next provincial election.
Last week the Alberta Medical Association, which represents more than 6,000 Alberta doctors, and the province announced that they had failed to finalize a new agreement.
“It is with some deep degree of disappointment that I inform you that we were unable to reach a new agreement,” said Health Minister Gene Zwozdesky.
The AMA's board of directors had earlier unanimously rejected a proposal to extend a three-month agreement in principle. That agreement was intended to be the basis of a new agreement to replace the past eight-year agreement that expired at the end of March.
In a letter to members, AMA president Dr. P.J. White reportedly said the parties have been unable to agree on, among other things, decision-making powers and on proposals related to access, quality and productivity.
Although negotiations between the sides are expected to continue, the fact that a vital part of the health system (i.e.: physician-government agreement) is in disarray is anything but happy news for ordinary Albertans.
Over the next months, in the run-up to the next provincial election, which could come in 2012, the province and Alberta's doctors will hopefully sort out their differences.
However, if they fail to do so, not only will health-care controversy certainly be the number one election campaign issue, but families, seniors and others will be left on pins and needles wondering whether big trouble is just around the corner for Alberta's vital health system.
