ST. PAUL – During the Sept. 9 Town of St. Paul council meeting, a request for support from the Lakeland Primary Care Network (PCN) for a letter of support was discussed.
Lakeland PCN, which currently includes 33 healthcare providers, began operating in February 2007. It is seeking to maintain its regional structure as part of Alberta’s new Modernizing Alberta’s Primary Health Care System (MAPS) initiative.
According to information from the provincial government, the MAPS initiative aims to strengthen primary care across the province by regionalizing networks to ensure equitable access to health services for all Albertans.
Town of St. Paul Mayor Maureen Miller stressed that, while Alberta is reorganizing primary care networks to streamline healthcare delivery, it is essential for the Lakeland PCN to remain a distinct region, “And not piggybacked into another northern, larger region.”
The mayor says Lakeland PCN’s multidisciplinary approach includes physicians, nurses, social workers, and other healthcare professionals working together to meet the diverse needs of the community. This approach has been particularly effective in managing and ensuring equitable access to care across the region, including Métis Settlements and First Nations communities.
Therefore, restructuring primary care networks could impact how St. Paul and surrounding communities, are served, heard council.
Coun. Nathan Taylor asked if the MAPS initiative is mostly just about re-organizing the regions, or if it would also affect a new formula for funding.
Miller said the funding formula is part of the initiative, which she said is another key concern. She explained funding allocation is affected by patient visits. Under the current system, a physician in the PCN needs to see a patient four times within a year to count that patient toward the clinic's funding.
However, with patients often being referred to facilities in Bonnyville or Cold Lake, local physicians may not reach this threshold, potentially reducing funding to the region.
“We are regionalized, so you might see a physician here, but then be sent up to Bonnyville to have whatever [needs to be] done, [and] not necessarily have that follow up done back here.”
But that is a separate concern, says Miller.
Following more discussions, Taylor made a motion to approve sending a letter of support to Lakeland PCN. The motion was carried.
“In alignment with the goals of the . . . (MAPS) initiative, Lakeland PCN has excelled in improving patient access, ensuring equity, and fostering strong connections between primary care providers and the communities they serve,” reads an excerpt of the letter of support, penned to the Bonnyville-Cold Lake-St. Paul MLA Scott Cyr, and Alberta Health Minister Adriana LaGrange.
“The network’s emphasis on reducing travel burdens for patients and enhancing care through local, embedded staff is particularly noteworthy and aligns with our provincial objectives of improving health outcomes and system efficiency.”
