Alberta Improving Rural Health with a Rural Health Action Plan

Alberta's Government are launching a series of new initiatives to improve healthcare in rural and remote communities through a new Rural Health Action Plan. The plan will be updated and reviewed every three years.  

The plan aims to help guide actions, address challenges, and improve the overall outcomes in rural and remote healthcare. Under the new plan, the 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.

Bursary recipients will be free to practice and stay in a single community, move between communities or practice as locums, as long as they maintain a minimum patient panel and practice in eligible communities.

Rural and Remote Family Medicine Resident Physician Bursary Pilot Program

The $16 million Rural and Remote Family Medicine Resident Bursary Pilot Program is tailored to support family medicine residents who are interested in practicing in rural or remote Alberta. The 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.

Applications for 2024-25, will open in December.

Medical First Responder Grant and Emergency Medical Responder Education Grant

The Medical First Responder Grant and Emergency Medical Responder Education Grant are aimed at attracting and retaining paramedics in rural and remote communities. 

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.

The MFR Grant Program will be used to fund up to 16 news programs, at $50,000 per agency, while the EMR Education Grant Program will be used to fund approximately 25 courses, with the cost varying depending on associated travel expenses. 

Emergency Medical Responder Education Grant

Medical First Responder Grant