Calgary (Rajeev Sharma) : Alberta’s plan to allow doctors to work in both the public system and private clinics is drawing mixed reactions, with supporters calling it a strategy to reduce wait times and critics warning it could undermine the province’s public health-care foundation.
The proposal part of the government’s effort to modernize health-care delivery would permit physicians to bill privately for some elective procedures while still treating patients within the public system. Government officials argue the change will increase flexibility, expand surgical capacity, and help attract more doctors to Alberta.
However, health-care analysts caution that a dual practice model could unintentionally weaken the public system. Higher earnings in private clinics may pull physicians away from publicly funded hospitals, contributing to longer wait times for emergency care and complex surgeries. Alberta is already facing physician shortages, particularly in rural communities, raising concerns that the policy could deepen existing gaps in access.
Critics also warn that shifting more procedures to for profit facilities could create a two-tier system in which wealthier Albertans gain faster access to treatment while others wait longer in the public queue. They point to previous expansions of private surgical contracts in the province, which were associated with declines in public-hospital surgical volumes and mixed results on wait times.
Supporters counter that dual practice is used successfully in other jurisdictions and argue that the change will give patients more choice without compromising universal access. Under the proposal, emergency care, cancer surgeries, and primary care would remain strictly within the public system.
As the legislation moves forward, the debate highlights a central question for Alberta: whether expanding private options will strengthen the health system by offering more pathways to care, or strain it by diverting doctors and resources away from public hospitals. The outcome could shape the province’s health-care landscape for years to come.
