Province, doctors reach ‘common sense’ deal

EDMONTON The organization that represents the province’s 10,000plus doctors announced Monday it has reached terms on a tentative compensation deal with Alberta Health, ending five months of negotiations.

Details of the pact, including length, cost and the fate of various physician support programs, were being kept under wraps until the agreement is ratified by members of the Alberta Medical Association.

“The tentative agreement addresses budgetary concerns of the province while recognizing the contributions and stewardship of physicians so far,” Alberta Medical Association president Dr. Neil Cooper said in an letter to members Monday.

“It provides stability for important programs and initiatives,” it continued.

Cooper said the deal will be presented to association delegates May 3. Should the delegates approve, a ratification vote would be held later in the month.

“We have reached a common sense agreement that will further stabilize health spending and strengthen our work with physicians in improving patient care,” Health Minister Sarah Hoffman said in an emailed statement.

The province’s previous pact with the AMA — a seven-year deal that ended March 31 — was forged only after a long and bitter dispute.

Negotiations were far less rancorous this time, although it is believed there were several sticking points.

The government has been adamant about the need to better control physician-based costs, which had been growing at around nine per cent annually until this past year.

The latest provincial budget calls for $5.3 billion in total spending on physician compensation and development this year.

That represents an increase of 3.5 per cent to accommodate higher patient volumes, but there has been no mention of potentially raising fees for doctor’s services.

It’s unclear if the new agreement sticks to those figures.