A message from CPSA Registrar Dr. Scott McLeod

I don’t think it would be a stretch to say that today’s healthcare system is far different than it was just a few short years ago. There are many reasons for this new reality, including a shortage of family physicians, provider burnout, escalating cost of care, more chronic disease and the introduction of artificial intelligence and virtual care, to name a few.

As Alberta’s medical regulator, we know that maintaining the status quo is not possible if we want to continue meeting our mandate of protecting the public in a constantly changing environment. I’m proud of the work CPSA has done in 2023 to evolve our thinking and take definitive action, so we can make a positive impact on the care Albertans receive.

Throughout 2023, CPSA has been developing innovative approaches to removing administrative barriers to registration, while maintaining the safeguards required to ensure Albertans get care from qualified and competent physicians. We know that increasing access to poor care is not good for Albertans, but we also recognize that no access to care is equally bad. After examining our registration processes and identifying areas for improvement, CPSA introduced an accelerated Practice Readiness Assessment pilot project to help graduates from certain jurisdictions outside of Canada begin practising in Alberta communities sooner. This pilot project has been so impactful that we’ve had over 180 physicians apply for this route to licensure in 2023 alone.

This past year also marked a significant milestone for our Professional Conduct team, who wrapped up a three-year project to completely transform our complaints process. It’s imperative that those who file and receive complaints believe CPSA’s process is fair, consistent and timely. By using a quality improvement approach, implementing innovative technology and regularly monitoring key performance metrics, CPSA has dramatically reduced the time it takes to address complaints. The team has ingrained a culture of continuous quality improvement in the work they do and I’m looking forward to seeing how CPSA’s complaints process will continue to evolve moving forward.

In late 2023, CPSA’s Physician Health Monitoring Program underwent a transformation of its own to address the divestment of remaining association-type activities as required by legislation. Like many projects, this was an organization-wide effort, and I’m pleased that our teams adapted diligently to changing legislation while balancing patient safety with the health and professional needs of regulated members.

Change is a constant in our profession, and 2023 was no exception. I would like to sincerely thank Council, the CPSA team, regulated members and the public for not only enduring change but embracing it wholeheartedly. I’m extremely proud of what we’ve accomplished in 2023 and I look forward to seeing how our actions will create a positive, lasting impact on health care in Alberta.

Dr. Scott McLeod.