Modernizing Alberta's Primary Health Care System (MAPS) Engagement

Overview

The Modernizing Alberta’s Primary Health Care System initiative was established to strengthen primary health care in Alberta and ensure all Albertans have access to timely, appropriate primary health care services.

Primary health care is the first point of contact Albertans have with the health system, and includes health professionals such as family doctors, nurse practitioners and pharmacists.

This work engaged Alberta primary health care leaders, along with national and global experts, to identify immediate and long-term improvements that can build on the many primary health care successes in Alberta.

Status

Advisory panels' work on the modernization of Alberta's primary health care system is complete. Read the final reports 

Who is listening

Ministry of Health

Final reports

The advisory panels have finished their work and submitted their reports with recommendations to modernize Alberta's primary health care system, helping to ensure all Albertans have access to timely, appropriate primary health care services.

Strategic Advisory Panel

The Strategic Advisory Panel final report contains 11 recommendations to refocus the system around primary health care with an emphasis on:

• access to team-based care
• integration between primary health care and community care
• a foundation of a coordinated and accountable primary health care system

Indigenous Advisory Panel

The Indigenous Advisory Panel final report contains 22 recommendations under 5 themes:

• improve health equity for Indigenous Peoples
• address Indigenous racism in health care
• build culturally safer primary health care and an Indigenous workforce
• create system innovation and support community capacity
• Indigenous ownership, stewardship, design and delivery of health care services

About the panels

Learn more about the panels' work:

• Indigenous Panel
• International Expert Panel
• Strategic Advisory Panel

Following recommendations from the panels, historical funding commitments were made in February 2023 that included early investments to strengthen the primary health care system:

• MAPS Indigenous Panel recommendations regarding early opportunities for investment
• MAPS Strategic Advisory Panel recommendations regarding early opportunities for investment
• News: Record investment in Alberta’s primary health care (February 21, 2023)

Opportunities for early investments were informed by extensive engagement activities, including innovation forums.

Innovation forum participants included panel members, stakeholders and people involved in primary health care. Participants discussed solutions to current barriers and explored international and national innovations.

• MAPS Innovation Forum - Summary Report
• MAPS Indigenous Primary Health Care Innovation Forum - What We Heard Report

News

• Strengthening health care: Improving access for all (October 18, 2023)
• MAPS final reports: Statement from Minister Copping (April 28, 2023)
• Record investment in Alberta’s primary health care (February 21, 2023)
• Modernizing primary health care (September 23, 2022)