The absence of provincial support to accommodate nurse practitioners in Alberta is creating a gap in providing access to an important health care option.
The absence of provincial support to accommodate nurse practitioners in Alberta is creating a gap in providing access to an important health care option.
"Nurse practitioners in Alberta have no funding model that would allow them to participate in primary healthcare," wrote Eric Lavoie, president of the Nurse Practitioners Association of Alberta.
The health-care professionals rely on remuneration from physician groups — either through Primary Care Networks or directly from a physician — to cover the cost of their services, he told the Round Up.
"There are systemic barriers that prevent NPs to contribute as they are trained to do. NPs have graduate level training that allow them to independently diagnose, prescribe, order and interpret diagnostic imaging and laboratory (tests), and refer to specialists as appropriate."
Because nurse practitioners are not funded by Alberta Health like physicians, they are generally seen as an expensive business liability, he said.
Tammy Surbey is a nurse practitioner who has worked in Sundre for about two years with support from Greenwood Family Physicians, which she said agreed to cover the cost until the government came up with a funding model. However, that provincial support never materialized.
She said Greenwood Family Physicians made the difficult decision to cease funding her.
"I am very disappointed as I am very passionate about my profession and feel that nurse practitioners are a huge asset to the health-care team," said Surbey, who also worked for 25 years at the Sundre Hospital and Care Centre as a registered nurse.
"We are a cost effective way to improve accessibility to health care and to prevent unnecessary visits to emergency, which drains the health care system as well. Many of my patients will be left without a practitioner, which is so frustrating."
However, support from the community and her patients, who have started a petition requesting provincial funding for nurse practitioners in order to ensure her continued service, has been overwhelming, she said.
"I am very grateful they started this petition on my behalf," she said.
"There is nothing more that I would want than to stay in the community and practise. One thing positive that will come out of this is people will be more educated about the role of nurse practitioners and how valuable they really are."
The Rimbey-Rocky Mountain House-Sundre riding's MLA said many Albertans struggle to get health care and that more options are needed — an issue the official Opposition has raised with the government before and will continue to.
"It's disappointing to see this happening to Tammy," said Jason Nixon.
"One, because she's very good at her job and has worked hard in the community."
But hearing about the roughly 350 patients who are being put in a position in which they will no longer have access to a primary health care provider they were very satisfied with is also disappointing, he told the Round Up.
"I've had so many of Tammy's patients reach out to me with concerns over the situation."
The MLA plans to lobby the government as well as travel to Edmonton during the fall legislative session with members of the community to help "get this important point across."
Although the issue of nurse practitioners has been talked about for years in a variety of contexts, there has not been a lot of progress, said Nixon.
"What is missing is the political and bureaucratic will to see the type of systemic change that is necessary to modernize our health-care workforce, in keeping with other world class health-care systems," said Lavoie.
"The Nurse Practitioners Association of Alberta has called on the government to create a funding model that allows Albertans to access NPs services."
Click here to find the petition online, which can also be found by doing an Internet search for Alberta Nurse Practitioners petition, or drop by Greenwood Family Physicians.
