alberta clinic owners’ association pushes for reform amid critical shortage of physicians
in alberta, the number of clinics welcoming new patients has steeply declined since 2020 as clinic owners struggle to retain doctors and other staff members
published feb 27, 2026
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dr. savraj bhangra is a primary care physician and clinic owner in calgary. supplied
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across alberta, primary care clinics are facing a range of unprecedented challenges, most notably, a critical shortage of physicians.
the severity of alberta’s physician shortage is reflected in the shrinking number of family practices able to take on new patients. nearly 900 clinics welcomed new patients in 2020, but by 2024, that number fell sharply to just 164, according to alberta find a doctor.
in response to this shortage, clinic owners are fiercely competing to attract and retain the few available doctors by offering higher salaries and enhanced benefits. while these incentives help with recruitment, they also raise operating costs, forcing clinics to make difficult decisions that could negatively impact the quality of patient care.
dr. savraj bhangra, a primary care physician and clinic owner in calgary, warns that prioritizing physician compensation could divert resources from other essential services such as timely referrals, follow-up test results and overall quality of care.
he notes, “physicians are being lured to clinics promising higher pay, but when resources are stretched to provide these incentives, something has to be sacrificed — and it shouldn’t be patient care.”
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as primary care clinics across alberta struggle with a severe shortage of physicians, the alberta primary care clinic owner’s association (apccoa) has emerged as a crucial advocate for clinic owners facing these unprecedented challenges.
dr. andrew kohler, physician and president of apccoa, states, “clinic owners are continually dealing with unstable staffing, which disrupts physicians’ work environments, strains their relationships with patients and ultimately puts patient care at risk. apccoa is calling on the government to implement substantial reforms that will bring stability and guarantee high-quality primary care throughout alberta.”
dr. bhangra, who joined apccoa last year, explains, “clinic owners are left in impossible situations, with barely any support. we’re stretched to the breaking point and left no option but to sell or close doors. still, i believe apccoa will be pivotal in mobilizing government action to relieve these pressures on clinic owners.”
in addition to significant physician recruitment challenges, clinic owners often struggle to retain physicians in the long-term. according to the alberta medical association, most doctors get paid per service, and their contracts usually lack non-compete clauses or required service periods. this lets physicians easily move between clinics at any time.
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but as dr. bhangra points out, this frequent turnover not only disrupts clinic finances but also interrupts continuity of patient care, further illustrating why urgent action and support are needed.
the apccoa hopes to encourage the government to explore different solutions that address the physician shortage, including revising physician compensation models, developing incentive programs for long-term retention and establishing clearer guidelines for contracts to promote stability.
according to dr. kohler, “if action isn’t taken now, clinics will continue to close, and communities will lose essential care. apccoa is committed to fighting for the support alberta needs.”
for more information or to join, visit www.apccoa.ca or contact info@apccoa.ca.
this story was provided by apccoa for commercial purposes.
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