CAN WE REALLY AFFORD TO LOSE OUR DOCTORS?
Sometimes it is time to retreat, to admit that we need to backtrack on a decision, and time to say, “Whoa!” I am referring to the deteriorating relationship between Alberta doctors and the provincial government. Alberta family physicians recently saw their funding contract cancelled and are bracing for a new arrangement that includes significant cost-control measures that would reduce their income. But during the height of our current pandemic, now is not the time we want doctors to submit their notices to their respective Health Boards that they will soon be leaving the province. We cannot let that happen!
Given the fiscal realities in Alberta and some of the highest rates of Fee-For-Service payment plans among family physicians of any province, some changes were arguably necessary. The government, as seems to be their current modus operandi, dropped these changes on the medical profession with limited consultation or negotiation. Consequently, many doctors, especially in smaller rural settings have declared their intention to leave Alberta soon.
It is time to call a moratorium on the government’s impending changes to doctors’ billing and working conditions. Doctors are already working in the most difficult environment imaginable. On top of a life and death working world, doctors do not need the added pressure of contract negotiations with the province. When the pandemic has been diminished, there will be more time for both sides to try to develop an acceptable delivery model that both sides can live with. We cannot afford to be understaffed in any of our hospitals or care centres. That is certainly just common sense. The time to call a time-out is now! Let’s just focus on containing the pandemic.
The government appears deaf to the doctor’s appeals for more consultation. Perhaps an analogy might help the Premier better view the situation. In the summer and fall, when we experience very dry conditions in our forests, major forest fires have become an annual event. Our air in Calgary has been smoke-filled for months when we have had huge forest fires in neighbouring BC. Would it make any sense to reduce the number of firefighters during this time because the cost is so prohibitive? I don’t think we would think this is a good idea. It would be a time when monetary costs become secondary considerations when we are trying valiantly to save lives, property, and communities from raging fires. Likewise doctors’ salaries and fees are not that relevant when we are all fighting to prevent massive infections and deaths.
With so much time on our hands and so much time that we are housebound, perhaps it is time for all of us to write letters to the Premier and Health Minister to freeze any changes to doctors’ fees and working conditions until later. If you are looking for a meaningful pastime, write a letter or two, and pass this request on to your friends. Let’s try to make a difference and improve all of our chances for better health care by supporting our Alberta doctors!
The pen is mightier than the sword!
PS Two days after I wrote this, the Health Minister did eliminate some of his new billing procedures for rural doctors. But the fight is still on for a lot of other changes. Write a letter.
3 comments:
Alberta doctors overhead costs are also higher than in other provinces so just talking about fees/salaries isn’t the whole picture.
We all better be ready for some changes in our system as the financial advisor said we are not going to sustain the health system as it is.
I have seen how both Dr’s and patients use and abuse the system. There are two sides to every story, How can a Dr actually bill for seeing more than the 65 people in a day ( 65 is the number that was set as a limit ) ,some have been billing for more, a case recently was for as many as 130 people in a day.How can the same person be billed for having his appendix out twice. We recently had the need to have a driver’s medical done, the cost was from 70-150$, ( the cheaper rate jumped up 10$ overnight., not bad for a 10 minute visit I say. In my experiences in the last couple of years something that used to take one Dr to take care of has now given risen to having to see multiple Dr’s ( to have a simple sebaceous cyst removed involved 3 Dr’s and a drive from the city to a small town. The Dr who did it informed me “ we don’t have any staff with medical experience to help with these kind of procedures so is why not many do it in the office anymore “ As far as myself and many you talk to these so called walk-in clinics are nothing other than referral centres. Even though we supposedly have a family Dr at one of these clinics if we are not able to get into see our Dr when we do have a problem they will not let us make an appointment with anyone else so have to sit for hours to see whoever is doing walk- in that day, thus there is no consistency in care . The Dr who did the Driver’s Medical had never seen my husband before so in a 10 minute visit we wonder why we have some of the drivers out there we do.
I can honestly say in my 40 years of working in the medical system I have never seen a Dr who lives in poverty, I have seen a few who have had bankruptcies of convince. Dr’s may or may not have higher operating expenses in Alberta , but from what the accountant said they are also able to write off and hide more costs as well, I asked how this worked when the Dr’s children were able to get student loans and the ordinary workers children couldn’t. Some Dr’s offices are very basic , even almost to the dump status and the equipment is not over the top, thus why is preferable to use the hospital equipment , supplies and staff. Dr’s themselves are know not to be the best paying employers , and is one of the reasons many no longer have Licensed Nursing Staff anymore as they don’t pay a wage to have a Nurse want to work for them( Specialists may be the exception to this) but the even then the . specialists we have seen over the couple of years our visits have mostly been in the hospital .
I have no problem with them making a decent wage , but I think they must also realize they too may have to take some “ lumps” in this time now, more so than ever, many ,many people will not have anything to go back to as we come out of this . The cottage on the lake, the fancy cars , the big house and so many of the luxuries so many have become accustomed to may not be as easy to come by .
Sorry but my heart does not bleed as deeply as some, seen too much over the years.
Thanks Norma for your first hand experiences and accounts. You are far more of an expert than me. I also question some of the bizarre health scenarios that we hear of. My basic point is that with our pandemic issues consuming us, lets place a moratorium on the issue of wages and working conditions until the dust has settled or should I say the virus has settled. I really appreciate your comments and insights. Thanks again.
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