This summer, a proposal for a South Edmonton Local Primary Care Initiative (LPC!) was selected as one of eleven Alberta LPCls which will move forward to the planning stages this year.

The South Edmonton LPCI proposal focuses on offering a team approach to patient care, adapting to local needs and building on the core values of family medicine. The initiative involves 50 physicians from 11 clinic/physician practices serving approximately 120,000 patients in South Edmonton. Many of the physicians involved have long¬standing relationships with the Grey Nuns and Dr. Irene Colliton, Physician Lead for family Medicine at the Grey Nuns, is leading the initiative.

This initiative stems from an 8-year agreement signed last year by the Alberta Medical Association, Alberta Health and Wellness and Alberta's Regional Health Authorities (RHAs). That agreement included a 3-year, $100-million budget to establish LPCls which are separate entities formed by physicians and their RHAs. Each LPCI must provide 16 specified services (such as obstetrics, mental health, chronic disease management), as well as linkages to exsisting health services.

The selection of the South Edmonton LPCI means the initiative receives planning funds to develop a business case by December 1, 2004. Each initiative's business plan must explain how the partners will use various health professionals to provide specific primary health care services and link to health services provided by specialists. Once the plan is approved, funding is allocated.

"This is a first step," says Dr. Colliton. "We have the opportunity to look at how we can build a seamless system of care for our patients. That includes looking at how we can build better connections between services that already exist, work in teams, address some gaps in care and perhaps develop some collaborate services to better meet needs."

Each LPCI will have the flexibility to meet the needs of patients at the local level. "As a group of physicians, we will be coming up with collective solutions for our patients and our community," says Dr. Colliton.
While it's too early to say what the South Edmonton model will look like, Dr. Colliton says one thing will not change-the way patients interact with their family doctor. "We will build on those relationships," she says.
A proposal for an LPCI in West Edmonton, involving the Misericordia Community Hospital was also submitted under the leadership of Dr. Annc Bowland, Misericordia Physician Lead for Bamily Medicine. That proposal will be resubmitted later this year as additional opportunities come on stream. It is expected that up to 12 LPCls will be operational in 2005.