UPDATED: Alberta government launches program to provide Albertans more access to primary care clinics

The Alberta government has launched a program to support nurse practitioners to work independently and provide Albertans more access to primary care clinics.When it comes to primary care, the Alberta government said every Albertan should be able to access it when and where they need it. To help achieve this goal, it will be expanding opportunities for nurse practitioners. “Nurse practitioners are a welcome and integral part of the solution to improving access to primary healthcare services,” said Alberta Premier Danielle Smith in a Thursday press release. “Finalizing this funding model is an exciting step forward in our journey to refocus healthcare in Alberta and I’m looking forward to this expansion of healthcare services.”Through the Nurse Practitioner Primary Care Program (NPPCP), the Alberta government said nurse practitioners will receive about 80% of the compensation provided to family physicians who provide comprehensive primary care. It added compensation will be determined based on panel size and the number of patient care hours provided.To be eligible for the $15 million in compensation through the NPPCP, nurse practitioners must meet a number of requirements, including committing to provide medically necessary primary care services; having a panel size of at least 900 patients; providing after-hours access on weekends, evenings or holidays; and accepting walk-in appointments as they build a panel size of 900 patients. The minimum panel size of 900 is consistent with the British Columbia model. The Alberta government acknowledged the NPPCP is structured to incentivize higher patient attachment as compensation for nurse practitioners increases as their panel size grows. It said it will combine with the other incentives such as the Panel Management Support Program to support the more than 700,000 Albertans who are unattached to a primary care provider.Alberta Health Minister Adriana LaGrange called the NPPCP “exciting news for Albertans.” “It not only increases healthcare capacity in communities across the province but also provides more Albertans with access to a regular primary care provider and will help take pressure off the rest of the health system,” said LaGrange. “Supporting nurse practitioners to do more of the work they are trained to do is another tool we’re using to stabilize and strengthen primary healthcare throughout Alberta.” Clinics, communities and Primary Care Networks can partner with nurse practitioners who are entering practice by applying for one-time mentorship funding. Each mentor is eligible for $10,000 during a nurse practitioner’s first one-and-a-half years to ensure a successful transition to independent practice.Nurse Practitioner Association of Alberta (NPAA) President Jennifer Mador pointed out many Albertans are without access to a primary care provider. “With 900 nurse practitioners in Alberta, there is an opportunity to significantly improve access to primary care services,” said Mador. “This is the right next step in a marathon of change that is necessary for our primary care system.” Nurse practitioners interested in practicing through the NPPCP can submit an expression of interest to Alberta Health. Each expression of interest will be evaluated, and nurse practitioners who meet the requirements will be sent an application form. Through a $2 million grant over the next three years, the NPAA will help nurse practitioners throughout the application process, recruit them to participate in it and support them as they plan to work independently in an existing practice or set up their own clinics.LaGrange followed up by saying the Alberta government looked at the compensation that family doctors are getting and determined based on the scope nurse practitioners are doing. “Roughly 80% of what a physician can do is roughly what a nurse practitioner will be doing,” she said. “Having said, I know that they do so much more, but we also know that doctors can do surgery.” She said it did a robust assessment that it will be implementing in one-and-a-half years and a few more times to look at it and ensure it is going well. It will be a collaboration to determine if it is going right and what needs to change. The Alberta government said in November it will allow nurse practitioners to open their own clinics, take on patients and offer services. READ MORE: Alberta government to enhance access to healthcare with nurse practitioners“It’s unfortunate nurse practitioners have been underutilized in Alberta, because they can provide an incredible service to Albertans,” said Smith. “This past year, we’ve seen 255 physicians register to practice medicine in our province.”

UPDATED: Alberta government launches program to provide Albertans more access to primary care clinics

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