PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Philip Jacobs
AU  - Neil R. Bell
AU  - Douglas Woudstra
TI  - Can you afford to keep practising?
AID  - 10.46747/cfp.6711e306
DP  - 2021 Nov 01
TA  - Canadian Family Physician
PG  - e306--e311
VI  - 67
IP  - 11
4099  - http://www.cfp.ca/content/67/11/e306.short
4100  - http://www.cfp.ca/content/67/11/e306.full
SO  - Can Fam Physician2021 Nov 01; 67
AB  - Objective To estimate the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on FP finances in Alberta.Design A financial model that included fees, visits per day, number of days of practice, and overhead costs.Setting Alberta before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic.Participants Hypothetical fee-for-service FP practices.Interventions Changes in practice modes caused by the pandemic and changes to fees set by the Government of Alberta (no interventions were controlled by the researchers).Main outcome measures Annual average FP billings and annual average FP income after overhead expenses.Results Practice changes related to COVID-19 could result in a reduction in average FP income (billings after expenses) of 27% to 78%.Conclusion Practice pattern changes, including the rapid adoption of telemedicine owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, will reduce incomes for fee-for-service community FP practices in Alberta. Fees at current levels could make some practices unsustainable.