Save family and rural generalist practices

Campaign materials

Albertans currently without a family physician are already worried. Those who are lucky enough to have one, at this point and time, should be worried as well. We must do all we can to ensure all Albertans share our sense of urgency on this issue.

We recently sent out a survey to family and rural generalist physicians regarding the state of their practices and finances. You can read the full report on the results, but here is a sampling:

• 20% say their practices are unlikely to be financially viable beyond six months (8% say three months) and only 21% feel their finances could sustain up to one year.
• 61% of family physicians are considering leaving Alberta’s health care system, either by early retirement (38%) or looking for work in another province or country (39%).

The AMA has launched a province-wide campaign ('Save family and rural generalist practices') to let MLAs and key cabinet ministers know that health care - and family physician and rural generalist practices - are a priority for the government's upcoming Budget 2024.

Here are some materials to use in your practices:

• Talking Points/Key Messages
• Poster for family medicine office
• Poster for rural generalist office
• Handouts for AHS or non-office-based physicians
  Note: if you are in an AHS site or are not office-based, these four-to-a-page handouts with a QR code can be given to patients or shown to patients to scan the code.
  • Save family medicine
  • Save rural medicine

Albertans can visit our public PatientsFirst.ca website to learn more about the issues and sign up for updates. They can also actively lend their support by contacting their MLAs to express their personal concerns and priorities.

Physicians can participate and share their perspectives by visiting the PatientsFirst.ca physician link.

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Talking Points/Key Messages

If patients in your clinic ask questions about the AMA campaign, advocacy for family and rural medicine or the posters you have in your clinic, here are some points you may find helpful.

In the lead up to Provincial Budget 2024, the AMA is running an advertising campaign. The objective is to let MLAs and key cabinet ministers understand the critical urgency of addressing family physician and rural generalist care in the upcoming budget.

A January 2024 survey of family and rural physicians found that:

• 20% say their practices are unlikely to be financially viable beyond six months (8% say three months) and only 21% feel their finances could sustain up to one year.
• 61% of family physicians are considering leaving Alberta’s health care system, either by early retirement (38%) or looking for work in another province or country (39%).

Government needs to act as swiftly as possible in acting on AMA proposals to stabilize primary care.

Key messages for clinic staff to share include:

• All Albertans should be concerned about what’s happening with family and rural physicians, whether or not they have one of their own.
  • One in five Alberta family and rural physicians say their practices may not survive more than six months.
  • Almost two-thirds (61%) of physicians are thinking about leaving Alberta’s health care system (retiring early or relocating).
• Alberta is falling behind while other provinces are investing fast to keep and attract family physicians and rural generalists.
• Alberta doctors know what needs to be fixed and have laid it out in detailed proposals to government that would stabilize failing clinics and provide a new way to pay doctors for providing comprehensive care. 
• Promises have been made by government but nothing concrete has been delivered.
• Patients can lend their support by visiting PatientsFirst.ca and telling government that they want urgent support for family and rural practices and their ideas to fix primary care.