Dear Members,
Many of you are familiar with the Rural Remote and Northern Program (RRNP), through which the Government of Alberta provides financial incentives to support delivery of insured medical services in rural, remote and/or northern parts of our province. This program has been in operation since 2007 and remained relatively unchanged up until the removal of some flat fees and the caps on RRNP compensation in 2020.
The 2022 AMA Agreement (Schedule 7) provides for an extra $12 million annually to fund the RRNP, and, as part of this additional funding, includes a commitment by the parties to conduct a full program review that is currently underway.
The program review is designed to determine:
- The efficacy of the RRNP in enhancing recruitment and retention of physicians in rural, remote and/or northern communities in Alberta. This includes the effects of changes implemented in 2020.
- Recommendations for any potential enhancements or changes to the program. This includes review of eligible communities, determination of medical isolation points, review of incentive mechanisms and implications regarding physician compensation in Alberta.
- What factors are most important to the delivery of insured medical services in rural, remote and/or northern communities in Alberta.
- What actionable recommendations can be made to improve the efficiency and efficacy of the RRNP.
The AMA and AH have enlisted the consulting services of Deetken Insight Inc. To date, they have conducted over 50 interviews with physicians and health system stakeholders, including rural generalists, family physicians and other specialists. They have engaged municipalities and Indigenous communities across the province. They are also analyzing administrative data on physician practices and billings between 2002 – present.
A survey is being conducted to solicit input on current and future factors that should be considered when determining how to tie compensation to rural, remote and northern practice. The survey also explores factors affecting physicians' choices about where they practice in the province. The survey also explores factors affecting physicians' choices about where they practice in the province.
Obviously, we need to hear from physicians who currently provide insured medical services in rural, remote and/or northern Alberta, including urban-based physicians who travel to do so. The survey, though, is open to all members and you may wish to participate if you have provided rural services in the past or may be contemplating doing so in the future.
The survey will take about 15 minutes to complete, and your responses will provide important insight to inform any forthcoming changes to the RRNP.
Should you have any questions, a Q&A is linked within the survey that provides more information. You can also send additional questions or comments to [email protected].
You can complete the survey here.
Thank you in advance for weighing in! The survey is now open and will close at midnight, Wednesday, January 22.
Sincerely,
Shelley Duggan, MD, FRCPC
President, Alberta Medical Association