Rural doctors in Alberta eligible for $24K to $40K in funding from the province

About 3,000 family doctors in Alberta are eligible to receive funding as part of a commitment by the Alberta government to stabilize primary health care.

Family physicians and rural generalists will be able to receive between $24,000 and $40,000 depending on how many patients they have.

The funding is enabled through the new Canada-Alberta health funding agreement with the federal government.

The money has been provided to the Alberta Medical Association (AMA), and is a one-time payment aimed at helping family physicians until a new compensation model is in place.

The province says it will be used for administrative and equipment costs.

"We are grateful that this funding will help family and rural generalist physicians remain in comprehensive, life-long care as we move to the next phase of collaboration with the [health] minister and her team," AMA president Dr. Paul Parks said in a news release.

"For this stabilization investment to reap benefits for Albertans, we must rapidly implement the new payment model that will allow comprehensive care to flourish across the province."

In December, the province announced $200 million over two years to help stabilize primary care in Alberta.

The $92 million for this program will come from that funding.