Primary Care Alberta, the new provincial health agency overseeing and coordinating the delivery of primary health care services, will become operational later this fall.

Alberta’s government is taking action to refocus the health care system so that every Albertan has access to a primary health care provider and timely, high-quality primary health care, no matter where they live.

Alberta’s new primary care provincial health agency, Primary Care Alberta, will create a modern, more responsive and unified health care system that prioritizes patients, empowers front-line health care professionals and helps reduce pressures on the entire health system.

The immediate priority of Primary Care Alberta is to ensure every Albertan has access to high-quality primary care services in all areas of the province, so all Albertans and their families are supported in their day-to-day health needs through every stage of life. The new primary care agency will focus on supporting integrated teams of family physicians, nurse practitioners and pharmacists to provide patients with the best care possible.

“Standing up Primary Care Alberta is an important milestone in refocusing the health care system to put patients first and give our front-line experts the support they need to ensure Albertans are receiving the care they deserve.”

Kim Simmonds, the current assistant deputy minister of strategic planning and performance at Alberta Health, will be appointed as chief executive officer of Primary Care Alberta. Simmonds brings a wealth of public and private sector experience to the role and has extensive experience working with stakeholders across the health care system. She has experience working with clinicians and understands the need for data and evidence-based decision-making when it comes to delivering primary care services to Albertans, no matter where they live.

“If primary care is to be the foundation on which the entire health system stands, every Albertan must have an ongoing connection and trusting relationship with a family doctor or health care team. They must belong to a health home where they are known and where they don’t have to tell their health story over and over again. There is much work to do in Alberta to achieve these goals, and I’m eager to get going to help make it happen.”

Modernizing Alberta’s Primary Care System (MAPS)

In 2022, the Modernizing Alberta’s Primary Care System (MAPS) initiative was launched to recommend ways to strengthen Alberta’s primary health care system. Alberta’s government undertook extensive engagement with its primary care providers and stakeholders to develop a guide to strengthen primary health care in Alberta. The MAPS final report recommended creating a single governance structure that supports an integrated team of health care professionals with data sharing within and across sectors.

Improving the coordination and delivery of primary care was also something Alberta’s government heard during provincewide engagement sessions held earlier this year as part of efforts to engage with Albertans and health care professionals on how to refocus the health care system. This made-in-Alberta solution is the first of its kind to be established in a provincial health care system. The agency is a dedicated organization to support governance, oversight, delivery, operation and coordination, a significant step being taken to improve the quality of health care delivery in the province.

Quick facts

• The Provincial Health Agencies Act enables the transition from one regional health authority, Alberta Health Services (AHS), to an integrated system of four sector-based provincial health agencies: primary care, acute care, continuing care, and mental health and addiction.
• The agencies will be responsible for delivering integrated health services, ensuring Albertans receive timely access to care regardless of where they live.
• Some of Primary Care Alberta’s longer-term priorities include:
  • Engaging physicians and providing leadership opportunities to lead their peers through the change process.
  • Incentivizing care models that improve health outcomes and patient experience.
  • Providing tools to primary care providers, such as enhancing the current Find a Doctor website and e-Referral, that benefit both providers and patients.
  • Setting standards for primary care so Albertans have consistent services.
  • Funding primary care networks that bring practitioners together to implement provincial initiatives and address regional needs.
  • Developing chronic disease care models to reduce the burden of chronic disease on patients and the health care system.
• More than 30,000 Albertans have had the opportunity to share their thoughts and ideas directly on the refocusing through in-person engagement sessions, online feedback forms and telephone townhalls.
  • In addition to public engagement sessions, dedicated engagements were held with Indigenous communities, the francophone community and other key health partners.

Related information

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