Province announces plan aimed at improving rural health care

Albertans living in rural and remote communities face unique challenges that require tailored supports and approaches to deliver safe, high-quality and sustainable health care services. To help guide actions, address challenges and improve outcomes in rural and remote health care, Alberta’s government is launching a Rural Health Action Plan.

As some of the first steps being taken under the action plan, Alberta’s government is introducing a $16-million Rural and Remote Family Medicine Resident Physician Bursary Pilot Program, an $800,000 Medical First Responder (MFR) Grant program and a $600,000 Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) Education Grant program.

“There is an urgent need for customized supports in rural and remote communities across Alberta,” said Adriana LaGrange, Minister of Health. “This action plan will serve as a roadmap to build and maintain access to high-quality health care in these areas of the province.”

Martin Long, Parliamentary Secretary for Rural Health added; “Investing in our rural health care workforce is essential for communities across the province. The introduction of the Rural and Remote Family Medicine Resident Physician Bursary Pilot Program is a vital step toward attracting and retaining skilled professionals in Alberta’s rural and remote areas.”

Rural and Remote Family Medicine Resident Physician Bursary Pilot Program

To support family medicine residents who are interested in practising in rural or remote Alberta, Alberta’s government is introducing a $16-million Rural and Remote Family Medicine Resident Physician Bursary Pilot Program. This initiative will provide up to $8 million annually for the next two years.

Bursaries of either $125,000 (for rural stream applicants) or $200,000 (for remote stream applicants) will be available to medical students in their final year of an undergraduate medical program at any medical university who have been matched with a family medicine residency program at the University of Alberta or University of Calgary. The bursaries will also be available to residents currently completing a family medicine residency at the University of Alberta or University of Calgary, regardless of their year of study, including those graduating in June 2025. In return, bursary recipients will commit to delivering comprehensive patient care in eligible communities for three years after completing their residency, enhancing the capacity of rural and remote communities.

This initiative is one part of a comprehensive strategy to build a thriving rural and remote health care workforce. Applications for 2024-25 will open in December.

Medical First Responder Grant and Emergency Medical Responder Education Grant

Alberta’s government is also implementing two grant programs to strengthen rural, remote, and First Nation, Métis and Inuit communities by attracting and retaining paramedics. This will also support the work to address long emergency response times by funding new medical first responder programs in communities with limited access to health care services.

The initiative includes an $800,000 Medical First Responder (MFR) Agency Grant program to foster the establishment of new MFR agencies, and a $600,000 Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) Education Grant program for communities with existing emergency medical services (EMS) stations to recruit and train a local workforce. MFR agencies in Alberta such as fire departments provide initial medical care and assistance to individuals in emergency situations before more advanced medical help arrives, playing a valuable role in the care of patients before they arrive at a hospital. These agencies often consist of trained volunteers or professionals who are equipped to respond to a wide range of medical emergencies, including cardiac arrests, traumatic injuries and respiratory distress. MFRs are key partners with EMS in Alberta that provide timely aid to patients and assist EMS when requested.

“This initiative is an exciting step in improving access to health care in rural and remote municipalities like ours,” said Nicholas Nissen, Mayor, Town of Hinton. “We thank the provincial government for their commitment to taking swift and ongoing action to support and stabilize primary health care in our community.”

“The RMA is encouraged by the Government of Alberta’s efforts into applying a rural lens on how health care is funded, structured and delivered,” said Paul McLauchlin, President, Rural Municipalities of Alberta. “This plan is a significant step towards designing and implementing a system that works for rural communities across the province.”

-Province of Alberta Release