Alberta doctors feel intimidated
Posted Oct 27, 2011 1:48 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Some physicians have felt intimidated to the point of leaving Alberta.
That’s one of the findings released by the Health Quality Council of Alberta at the Hyatt Regency in Calgary on Thursday.
The council is investigating complaints of patient wait times and physician advocacy within the province.
Dr. John Cowell says he’s heard numerous complaints from physicians about what happens when they try to advocate on behalf of there patients. “They’re running into a system where they’re not sure who they should be speaking to or the person they’re actually speaking to is responding in a way they would perceive to be quite intimidating,” said Cowell.
Dr. Cowell says a clear outline needs to be set up of how a physician should advocate.
He says because AHS runs all hospitals in the province, a doctor may feel pressured to leave Alberta if he or she runs into problems within the province.
