Alberta premier confirms plans to allow surgeons to work in both public and private health care systems

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has confirmed her government’s intention to allow physicians flexibility to work in both the public and private health care systems simultaneously.

In a video posted to social media, Smith outlined how a “Dual Practice Surgery Model” would work, saying it would help reduce wait times by increasing the number of surgeries able to be performed.

Smith says there are more than 80,000 Albertans on wait lists for elective surgeries, like hip or knee replacements.

Smith says the changes would require surgeons and supporting surgical professionals to still perform a set number of publicly funded surgeries annually.

But they could perform additional elective surgeries privately as well, if they choose, on their weekends or off hours, said Smith.

“That means everyone on the public waitlist moves up in the queue so that they also get their publicly insured surgery done quicker than they otherwise would,” Smith said in the video.

She says the change could also help retain Alberta doctors and bring back those who might have left the province for more lucrative opportunities elsewhere.

In her post, Smith says the government stands by her promise that no Albertans will need to pay out-of-pocket to see their family doctor or to receive necessary treatment.

She also points to other countries that operate under a dual-model system, including Sweden, Germany and Australia.

The changes were first reported by the Globe and Mail.

Debate takes place at Alberta legislature over private versus public health care

The Canadian Medical Association (CMA) is slamming the proposal, saying in a statement patients will “wait longer, with many paying twice for health care, once through taxes and a second time with their credit card.”

The CMA is calling on the Alberta government to reconsider the idea.

In a statement Tuesday, the Alberta Medical Association responded to the speculation over the new health care model. It said any reform must be evidence-based and involve meaningful engagement with physicians, patients and stakeholders.

It also said it was essential that any shift did not negatively impact the public health care system.

A spokesperson for federal Health Minister Marjorie Michel says the minister has been in touch with officials in Alberta about the plan.

“Health Canada officials are engaging Alberta officials to better understand the various components and implications of these proposed changes,” Guillaume Bertrand said in a statement.

“Our new government will always protect the Canada Health Act and Canada’s universal health care system,” Bertrand said.

Dr. Keith Wolstenholme is an orthopedic surgeon based in Red Deer. He says the idea itself is not one he is totally opposed to, but “the devil will be in the details,” he told CBC News.

In the video, Smith gives the example that a surgeon might be limited to performing 1,000 surgeries annually, due to health system funding constraints.

But Wolstenholme does not think many orthopedic surgeons are coming close to that number.

“I work more than I would want to work, and I’m not touching 1,000,” he said.

Added to that, he says many health care workers are overworked as it is and suffering from burnout.

“Maybe there’s lots of health care workers who are begging for opportunities to do more work, but it doesn’t feel like that’s necessarily the case right now,” said Wolstenholme.

More to come.