Government of Alberta Press Release:
A dual practice model is launching in September 2026 that will allow eligible physicians to deliver both publicly funded and privately paid surgeries in accredited facilities.
Through clearly established safeguards and a robust governance framework, the dual practice model is designed to improve access, expand care options for Albertans, and attract and retain physicians by offering more flexibility in how they practise while maintaining publicly funded care.
Eligible procedures will include those already accredited by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta for these facilities, such as orthopedic procedures, hip and knee replacements, cataract surgery, select ear, nose and throat procedures, gynecological surgeries, dermatology, plastic surgery, and minimally invasive general surgeries such as hernia repair.
Family physicians will not be eligible to participate, except those with subspecialties in anesthesia or surgical assistance.
Emergency and life-saving services, including cancer care, will remain exclusively publicly funded. The dual practice framework will enable surgical procedures to be performed in accredited chartered surgical facilities and hospitals.
Hospital and Surgical Health Services and Acute Care Alberta are working to build a model that supports hospital-based dual practice to leverage underutilized operating rooms.
“Doing more of the same will not reduce Alberta’s surgical wait times. Dual practice is one of several reforms that will help expand surgical capacity, improve access to care and ensure Albertans can get the procedures they need sooner.” Danielle Smith, Premier
“It’s important we get this right, which is why we have built strong safeguards and only allowed specified surgeries to protect access to the public system. We will closely monitor dual practice and make changes if needed to ensure shorter waits, more choice and better access for Albertans.” Adriana LaGrange, Minister of Hospital and Surgical Health Services
Alberta completed a record number of surgeries last year, yet many Albertans are still waiting too long to receive the surgical care they need. Dual practice will help increase surgical capacity so more Albertans can receive treatment sooner and spend less time waiting in pain and more time living their lives.
“Your proposal offers a tangible solution by creating a framework that better utilizes my skills and capacity, directly addressing the bottlenecks I face every day. It provides a clear path to increase the total number of surgeries performed in this province. This is not an abstract ideological debate; it is a practical mechanism to get my patients out of pain and back to their lives, sooner.” Dr. Trevor Brooks, MD, FRCSC, plastic, hand and reconstructive surgeon
“Albertans already access private care through travel loopholes and opted-out physicians. What has been lacking is the thoughtful design and regulatory oversight to ensure public access and quality is protected.” Dr. Sean Gregg, MD, FRCS, chief medical officer, Windflower Health
Dual practice regulations were developed following careful consideration and consultation with stakeholders across the province. Strong safeguards will be in place, including minimum public-service requirements for physicians, integrated electronic records for privately provided services and mandatory reporting requirements for all physicians.
Alberta’s government continues to look at innovative approaches and successful models in other jurisdictions to strengthen how surgical care is delivered.
Dual practice aligns Alberta with other high-performing health systems, including Denmark, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain, Sweden and Australia, which combine strong public funding with flexible delivery models.
“We’ve seen how dual practice benefited Danes by expanding treatment capacity and allowing doctors to increase the time spent on treating patients, if they so choose. This is good news for Albertans.” Emmanuelle Faubert, economist, Montreal Economic Institute
Primary and Preventative Health Services and Hospital and Surgical Health Services will oversee the implementation of dual practice.
Under their guidance, Acute Care Alberta will set minimum public surgery hour requirements, conduct regular reviews and report on system performance, with further adjustments made as needed to protect public system capacity.
The exact hour requirements and processes will be determined in the coming months, based on level of interest and system need.
“Dual practice is designed to expand access for patients while maintaining a strong and reliable public surgical system. Acute Care Alberta will work closely with physicians, surgical teams and service delivery organizations like AHS and Covenant Health across the province to ensure public surgical volumes remain stable and well supported. Our focus will always be ensuring we are supporting improved access for Albertans waiting for surgery.” Dr. Aaron Low, chief medical officer, Acute Care Alberta
Alberta continues to fully comply with the Canada Health Act and remains committed to its Public Health Guarantee, ensuring no Albertan will ever have to pay out of pocket for medically necessary care.
Quick Facts
- Physicians can still choose to practise entirely in the public health system or entirely in private settings.
- An expression of interest process for physicians will open June 22, followed by a formal application process later this summer.
- According to the Commonwealth Fund’s 2024 rankings, successful universal health care systems permit mixed practice.
- Canada ranked seventh among the 10 countries studied while all of the top six countries above (Australia, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, France and Sweden) permitted dual practice models.
Related Information
- Dual practice
- Delivering the Benefits of Mixed Practice to Alberta Patients: Lessons from Europe
- Accurate Facts Needed on Alberta Health Reform
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