Legislation for Alberta's dual practice model took effect Thursday, and the first surgeries are expected to take place this fall. Under the dual practice framework, surgical procedures will be performed in chartered surgical facilities (CSF).
Expression of Interest Process
Starting Monday, physicians are asked to submit an expression of interest indicating their intent to practice under the new model. Officials said this will help determine what the minimum public service requirements will be for physicians to be approved.
At a press conference on Thursday, Hospital and Surgical Health Services Minister Adriana LaGrange said the province needs to tailor the hours of public service requirement to individuals, regions and specialties. She emphasized that change is needed and that the dual practice model will reduce surgical wait times.
“Emergency surgeries, cancer surgeries — those always have top priority,” LaGrange said.
Application and Monitoring
Applications to participate in the dual practice model open in August and will be approved on a rolling basis. Once accepted, physicians must continue to provide a minimum number of hours in public surgeries to remain part of the framework. Officials said physicians who fail to meet the minimum hours risk losing their dual practice status.
Acute Care Alberta (ACA), the agency responsible for overseeing surgical services, will monitor and collect data to ensure requirements are being met. Officials said there is no maximum number of hours a physician approved for dual practice can work in the private sector. The limit on hours will be subject to professional practice requirements established by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta (CPSA).
Concerns from Medical Association
Alberta Medical Association (AMA) President Dr. Brian Wirzba said he is encouraged to see some of the safeguards suggested by the AMA were implemented, but others, such as having a single statutory oversight and independent auditing bodies, were not.
Wirzba noted a lack of clarity on what the regulations will look like and how many public hours a physician must work to work in the private sector.
“Our biggest concern is that the public system will be negatively impacted and even as the minister said today, the goal of this is to ensure that the public system is not negatively impacted … if that’s the case then we need to be able to monitor that and keep a very close eye on the metrics of wait lists for the public,” Wirzba said.
Eligibility and Facilities
Under the dual practice framework, surgical procedures in the fall will be performed in chartered surgical facilities (CSF). The ministry of hospital and surgical health facilities, and ACA will build a model to use under-utilized hospital operating rooms in the future.
All surgical specialties will be eligible for dual practice, except for family medicine, unless those physicians have subspecialties in anesthesia, enhanced surgical skills or surgical assistance.
