Alberta's government is taking a significant step to address lengthy medical wait times by introducing legislation that permits a hybrid public-private model for elective surgeries. Health Minister Adriana LaGrange believes the move could serve as a blueprint for other provinces struggling with similar healthcare delays.
A New Approach to an Old Problem
Last week, the province unveiled new "dual practice" legislation. This law will enable physicians already working within the public healthcare system to also perform select elective procedures at private clinics. The targeted surgeries include common but often delayed operations such as hip and knee replacements and cataract surgeries.
Minister LaGrange, alongside Hospital and Surgical Health Services Minister Matt Jones, framed the policy as a pragmatic solution to a system many agree is failing. "One thing I've heard again and again since taking this job is 'it's not working.' We're waiting way too long for the care we need," LaGrange stated. Her goal is to implement a system that works for Albertans and, potentially, for all Canadians.
Learning from Global Peers and Provincial Precedents
LaGrange argues the shift is informed by common sense and international comparison. She highlighted the absurdity of patients flying to other provinces for procedures, sometimes on the same plane as the Alberta-based surgeon who will operate on them. "It's nonsensical!" she remarked.
The Alberta minister noted a changing public attitude, where Canadians are looking beyond a "knee-jerk aversion" to U.S.-style care and examining successful models in other nations. "People travel a lot and they go to other countries and ask why can't we have this here?" she said.
This hybrid model is not entirely novel in Canada; similar approaches are already underway in Quebec and New Brunswick. LaGrange pointed to stark data to justify the change: Canada consistently ranks near the bottom among high-income countries for wait times, despite spending heavily on healthcare. One recent study placed Canada last among ten peer nations for waiting times to see both general practitioners and specialists.
Balancing Innovation with Core Principles
While advocating for change, Minister LaGrange emphasized that the reforms are designed to comply with the Canada Health Act. The government asserts that universal access to essential care remains a bedrock principle. "So right off the bat, we've said that any cancer surgery, any emergency surgery … will not be able to practice in a flexible capacity," LaGrange clarified, ensuring life-saving procedures stay wholly within the public system.
The minister expressed hope that Alberta's experiment could lead to a better-functioning model nationwide. "If you look globally, there's no perfect model, but we have to get to a better functioning model," she concluded, positioning Alberta's legislation as a potential catalyst for broader national healthcare reform.
