Hygieia Medical Clinic

12/05/2024

Book a free phone consultation 403.800.5578

06/13/2024

Trigger is enjoying his new home

05/01/2024

Dear Valued Patients,
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We hope this message finds you well. We want to inform you that Hygieia Medical Clinic has permanently closed its doors. This decision was not made lightly, and we want to express our deepest gratitude for the trust and loyalty you have shown us over the years.
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The good news is that your familiar healthcare providers,
​
Dr. W. Venter,
Dr. T. Warner,
Dr. J. Tupper,
and Dr. S. Wiessenberg,

have joined Spring Creek Medical Clinic.
This transition is part of our commitment to ensuring you continue to receive high-quality medical care. -
​
New clinic location: 112 -205 SpringCreek Common SW, Calgary, T3H 6H4
New phone number: 403-398-5371
Fax: 403-259-2481

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We look forward to welcoming you to Spring Creek Medical Clinic and continuing to serve your healthcare needs.
Warm regards,
Marinda & Wikus Venter

03/25/2024

Primary care is the foundation of Alberta's health care system and it requires urgent reform. Implementing the AMA's Physician Comprehensive Care Model will allow our doctors to continue delivering comprehensive patient care while keeping their community clinics viable.

03/18/2024

The urgency is still real.
The Physician Comprehensive Care Model will support cradle-to-grave, quality care for every patient. This is good for patients, doctors and our health care system as a whole. We need this model implemented immediately. Albertans can't wait any longer.

03/13/2024

At this time, you have been informed of the closure of Hygieia Medical Clinic.
Various theories have circulated regarding the reasons behind the clinic's closure, prompting this detailed and frank explanation.

Firstly, it is essential to understand the funding structure of Family Medical Clinics. Private family medical clinics operate with 100% funding from their owners. This encompasses aspects such as property leasing or ownership, clinic construction, equipment procurement, staffing, and daily operational expenses. Physicians bill Alberta Health for each patient visit based on the government's fee schedule. As per the Canada Health Act, physicians are prohibited from charging patients extra for any covered services, except for non-essential services like forms, insurance matters, or letters that are not covered by the government. It's crucial to note that clinics do not receive any additional funds beyond this established framework. This implies that we are distinct in being a private business and legally restricted from adjusting our fees to accommodate for inflation and other factors. For instance, we are not permitted to levy an additional $5 or $10 to patients per visit,to cover rising business expenses despite the fact that our fee schedule has remained largely stagnant for more than a decade and was cut back in 2019.

Now, to address the closure of Hygieia Medical clinic and the challenges facing family medicine in Alberta. The primary reason for the clinic's closure is the significant strain on Family medicine due to underfunding by the Government of Alberta. This has made it non feasible for us to renew the lease.

Although there is a Canada wide problem with sustainability of Family practices, BC, SK and MB as well as some Atlantic provinces have made substantial improvements in the way they fund Family Physicians and therefore stabilization of clinics.
One out of every five clinics is currently closing, and up to 90% of family physicians perceive their practices as being at risk in the upcoming 12 months
Please see the following link to hear
what Family Physicians across Alberta Face.
Patientsfirst.ca

03/06/2024