Searching for a Good Doctor? Why Finding Care That Listens is Tough for Calgary Women
People are talking about finding a doctor who takes women’s health concerns seriously. Whether it's a female doctor or not, the focus is on compassion and thorough care. Got any recommendations?
The Quest for Compassionate Care in Calgary
Many Calgarians know the frustration of trying to find a family doctor, especially one who genuinely listens to your concerns. For women, this search often comes with the added layer of wanting a healthcare provider who takes women's health issues seriously, rather than dismissing them. It's a sentiment echoed across our city, where the simple act of finding a doctor who will “take things seriously and care about diagnosing and treating problems instead of blaming anxiety” has become an increasingly daunting task.
This isn't just anecdotal. Alberta, like much of Canada, is grappling with a significant shortage of family physicians. The numbers are stark: the availability of family practices accepting new patients plummeted from nearly 900 in 2020 to a mere 164 by 2024, according to Alberta Find a Doctor reports. This means approximately one in five adult Albertans, or over 800,000 people, currently don't have a regular family doctor. If you're feeling left in the lurch, you are not alone.
What This Means for Your Health and Your Time
For Calgarians, the impact of this shortage is deeply personal. An aging population with more complex health needs, where nearly twice as many people have five or more chronic conditions, is a major factor straining our healthcare system. While the number of female family physicians in Alberta has seen a positive uptick, growing from 39% in 2004 to 47% in 2020, the overall capacity simply isn't keeping pace.
The consequence? Longer waits and delayed care. If you've been to a walk-in clinic recently, you've likely felt the crunch. Average wait times across Alberta nearly doubled in 2023 to 66 minutes, a sharp increase from 32 minutes in 2022. Here in Calgary, we faced an even longer average wait of 68 minutes in 2023. But for women, the delays can be even more critical. The median wait time for a gynecologist in Alberta now stretches to a staggering 56 weeks, and for reproductive health care, some Calgarians could wait up to two years to see a specialist. The overall median wait time from a GP referral to specialist treatment reached 38.4 weeks in 2024, up from 33.5 weeks just the year before.
The Road Ahead: Policy and Promises
So, what's being done to ease this burden on Calgarians? Alberta Health Services (AHS) directs residents to tools like the 'Alberta Find a Doctor' search and Health Link (by dialing 811) to help connect with physicians. The province also champions Primary Care Networks (PCNs), where family doctors team up with allied health professionals like nurses and dietitians. Calgary is home to seven of the 39 PCNs across Alberta, aiming for a more holistic approach to care.
Looking to the future, Alberta's Budget 2025 has allocated a substantial $644 million for primary care, with the ambitious goal of attaching every Albertan with a primary care team and boosting access to family doctors and frontline professionals. This includes $20 million dedicated to supporting nurse practitioners and another $26 million for women's health research and expanding newborn screening programs. Notably, $10 million over two years is earmarked for the Alberta Women's Health Foundation Legacy Grant, and another $10 million for the Calgary Health Foundation, both for women's health research. In April 2024, the province also introduced the Primary Care Physician Compensation Model (PCPCM) to attract and retain doctors, especially in rural areas and family practice.
Critics Voice Concerns Amidst Ongoing Challenges
However, not everyone is convinced these measures are enough to turn the tide quickly. Opposition Leader Rachel Notley stated in May 2023 that "health care has deteriorated badly under the United Conservatives, leaving as many as 800,000 Albertans without a family doctor." NDP health critic David Shepherd echoed these sentiments in October 2023, remarking that "More Albertans than ever before can't find a family doctor, but the UCP just keep pushing papers around their desk." It highlights the significant disconnect between policy announcements and the lived experience of Calgarians struggling to access timely, empathetic care.
Finding Your Advocate in a Stretched System
Ultimately, the search for a good family doctor, particularly one who specializes in or is sensitive to women's health, remains a challenging journey for many in our city. While new initiatives and investments are underway, the concrete impact on daily life for Calgarians, especially those seeking specific and understanding care, will take time to materialize. Until then, the call for doctors who take our health seriously and are committed to thorough investigation and treatment, rather than quick dismissals, continues to ring loud and clear across Calgary's communities.
