EDMONTON – Alberta's government says close to 400 specialist physicians have expressed interest in participating in the province's new dual practice system.
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EDMONTON – Alberta's government says close to 400 specialist physicians have expressed interest in participating in the province's new dual practice system.
EDMONTON – Alberta’s government says close to 400 specialist physicians have expressed interest in participating in the province’s new dual practice system.
The model is set to allow doctors to offer private services while also working in the public system, starting with elective surgeries like hip and knee replacements.
Legislation enabling the new system takes effect on Tuesday, but Surgical Services Minister Adriana LaGrange’s office said Monday the government still has to do a formal application process before any privately paid-for surgeries take place.
The government announced in June that it wanted to hear from physicians over the summer, and LaGrange’s office said nearly 400 expressions of interest were received and are now under review.
“This will help us gauge interest, understand what specialists are contemplating dual practice and prepare for the formal application process,” said Maddison McKee, a spokesperson for LaGrange.
“Applications will be reviewed to ensure eligibility criteria and government requirements are met, including public surgery hour requirements, monitoring and new reporting requirements.”
The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta currently lists about 14,150 registered physicians in the province, with nearly 550 specializing in some form of surgery.
