Last week's announcement by provincial government officials that would see billing and payscale changes for Alberta doctors is a "significant investment" not only financial support for Alberta's doctors, but in community support, says Fort McMurray-Lac La Biche MLA Laila Goodridge.
Following Alberta Health Minister Tyler Shandro's announcement last Friday to clarify changes to the province's billing practices to Alberta's doctors, Goodridge says that government leaders "have very much listened to what their rural MLAs" who had conveyed the concerns of rural doctors regarding proposed changes to their billing.
Changes announced last week will increase funding for overtime hours of rural doctors, removing restrictions on billing for overhead costs while they were working away from their offices and in hospitals, as well as increases to funds they can receive through the Rural Remote Northern Program that offers compensation to doctors practicing in isolated communities. The changes also included the continuation of subsidized medical liability insurance.
According to Shandro, who used Lac La Biche and Fort McMurray doctors as a reference in his province-wide announcement, an "average physician" in Fort McMurray makes $433,000, including a Rural Remote Northern Program payment capped at $60,000. New changes will increase that cap by $26,500. In Lac La Biche, that $60,000 cap will be increased to $92,000, giving local doctors up to $32,000 more each year.
Shandro said the provincial government’s latest increases to healthcare funding and doctors’ pay accounts for $81 million.
Hospital duty resignations
Goodridge says she has received many messages from people who are pleased with the changes since Friday's announcement.
A week before, many area residents were concerned when 10 Lac La Biche doctors announced they would step away from their hospital duties because of on-going difficulties with the provincial government. In a letter signed by the doctors, they said they planned to resign their hospital privileges in July.
RELATED: Lac La Biche doctors announce plans to stop hospital duties
Talking to the POST on Saturday, Goodridge says she has spoken to area doctors since Minister Shandro's announcement. When asked if they were still planning to leave their hospital duties, the MLA couldn't comment.
"You will have to ask them," she told the POST on Friday.
Lac La Biche’s Dr. Richard Birkill was contacted by the POST. Birkill, who runs Lac La Biche's Associated Medical Clinic, is also the Chief of Staff at Lac La Biche's W. J. Cadzow Hospital, and is the leading push behind the plan to resign hospital privileges. Birkill has requested some time to go over all aspects of Friday’s announcement before commenting publicly.
Check updates on the LakelandToday.ca website
