The Athabasca/Boyle area has been identified under Premier Alison Redford's Building Alberta Plan as one of the 24 communities throughout the province that needs better access to primary healthcare, which could qualify the area for a new family care clinic (FCC) in the area.
The "Athabasca/Boyle" area is identified on the list of areas that should potentially receive the FCC, and because areas with "major Alberta universities" would also qualify, the Athabasca/Boyle area could prospectively get a second FCC.
The Ministry of Health is looking for an expression of interest from the identified communities by June 21, according to Athabasca-Sturgeon-Redwater MLA Jeff Johnson, only "five communities north of Edmonton have been selected."
"Our goal is to make sure every Albertan has a home in the health care system and Family Care Clinics are another way to make that happen by giving people timely access to a health care team close to home,î said Health Minister Fred Horne in a press release.
ìCommunity-led FCCs will complement the existing physician-led Primary Care Networks to meet Albertansí health and social needs," said Horne.
In a conference called arranged by Athabasca-Sturgeon-Redwater MLA Jeff Johnson on Wednesday, community leaders agreed that the prospect of an FCC opening in the Athabasca/Boyle area would be greatly welcome for those in need of primary healthcare.
On the call was Athabasca county reeve David Yurdiga, county councillors Doris Splane and Christine Bilsky, Athabasca mayor Roger Morrill and associate superintendent of Aspen View School Division Derm Madden.
A 30-person "implementation team" is set to venture out into communities to discuss the initiative over the next few months with those groups who have submitted their expressions of interest.
The area is tentatively labeled "Athabasca/Boyle" because it has not been decided whether an FCC would be a satellite facility or possibly integrated into one of the local medical facilities, said Johnson.
"FCCs are local, team-based primary health care delivery organizations that provide individual and family-focused primary health care services that are tailored to meet the health needs of a community," according to the Alberta Health website.
"Clinic staff co-ordinate a comprehensive range of primary health care services that cover an individualís entire lifespan."
"I'm grateful that the premier and Fred (Horne) has allowed us to do this, and Ö invest in our area," said Johnson.
"We just need to get the implementation team out to start working with our community to help define how this thing could look and how it could be governed, but it's got the potential to be a significant investment in primary care in our region, and increase access, and increase the scope of (medical) practice for some of the folks that we have to do that for," said Johnson.
ìFamily care clinics provide timely access to services and improve care for people with chronic illnesses and complex health and social needs,î says Dianne Dyer, president, College and Association of Registered Nurses of Alberta.
The FCCs will "compliment" the 40 Primary Care Networks in the province, according to the release.
See the June 11, 2013 issue of the Athabasca Advocate for the full story.
