A leaked blueprint from the Alberta government proposing to let physicians work in both the public and private health systems is being welcomed as overdue relief for patients stuck in long queues for treatment.The Montreal-based MEI said Tuesday the plan — revealed by the Globe and Mail — mirrors successful European models and would expand access by giving doctors more flexibility. Economist Emmanuelle B. Faubert said countries that allow mixed practice see better patient access overall, a contrast to Alberta’s current rules that force physicians to choose one system or the other.News of the draft proposal surfaced earlier in the day, outlining a shift to “flexibly-participating physicians” who could offer services for a fee in the private sector while continuing to treat patients in the public system — all without having to notify the government in advance. Under existing law, a doctor choosing private practice is effectively barred from assisting in public hospitals..Faubert said Denmark’s experience shows the fears of a doctor exodus from public care are unfounded. A study cited by MEI found no meaningful difference in the number of hours worked in public hospitals between physicians who also worked privately and those who stayed solely in the public system. Doctors with mixed practices actually added time in the private sector without cutting back on their public commitments.Advocates say the international evidence is clear. .Canada ranks seventh out of 10 countries in the Commonwealth Fund’s access-to-care index, and all six countries ahead of it offer universal health care while also permitting fully private medical practice.Faubert argued Alberta’s move reflects an understanding that universal health care does not require a government monopoly. She said the leaked plan shows the Smith government is prepared to take an evidence-based approach to tackling chronic wait times that have frustrated patients for years.The provincial government has not yet confirmed when the draft would be tabled as legislation.
