Physician

What we do and why we do it: 

The Alex is a beacon of hope for Calgary’s most vulnerable citizens, offering wrap-around health care, housing, social, and wellness programs. With a patient and client-centered approach, we envision a community where every individual is valued and empowered to thrive. Our mission is to improve quality of life through accessible and integrated health, housing, and social services. With five decades of experience, we have earned a reputation for tackling tough health and social issues, guiding individuals on their journey from crisis to wellness, and from challenge to change.

Pathways to Housing, Pathways Assertive Outreach, HomeBase, Prelude, and Abbeydale Place are Housing First Programs through The Alex that support formerly houseless program participants with significant physical and/or mental health issues. Patients are provided with subsidized housing and rapid access to a myriad of supports to encourage stability, recovery, and improved quality of life. 

Physicians at The Housing First Clinic provide comprehensive, patient-centered primary care as part of an interdisciplinary team. Care is provided through walk-in, appointment and outreach visits in a non-judgmental, holistic, and opportunistic manner. Working alongside multidisciplinary team members, physicians will help address patients’ social determinants of health and provide medical care with a trauma-informed and harm reduction perspective.  

Practice Characteristics:  

• Full scope family practice: most patients are between age 24-75
• Compensation through an Alternative Relationship Plan (ARP) that includes collaborative and administrative work directly related to patient care (e.g. case rounds, charting time, chart review, lab review, and completing of uninsured forms)
• This is 0.6 FTE role (although 0.8 FTE would also be considered)
• Appointments booked for 30-60 minutes between 0900 and 1630
• Multi-disciplinary team including nurses, mental health clinicians, social workers, participant resource specialists, peer support workers, pharmacists, and more
• Administrative support – patient panel management, management of daily appointment flow through clinic (including bookings, confirmations, rooming, appropriate diagnostics and investigations), facilitation of referrals, and other services 
• Onsite laboratory (phlebotomy)
• Collaborative approach with social resource team to work with clients facing socioeconomic barriers

What you will bring: 

• Ability to work effectively and collaboratively with nurses, mental health providers, social workers, participant resource specialists, pharmacy, etc. 
• Desire to facilitate and support allied health team members to work to full scope of practice
• Trauma-informed communication skills
• Flexibility in regard to patient scheduling for same-day, walk-in or outreach appointments 
• Ability to respond to acute concerns as appropriate for a family physician in an outpatient setting (i.e., irregular behavior, drug poisoning, active suicidality)
• Engagement with Alex-based research and evaluations initiatives to support quality improvement, organizational theory of change, and clinical practice 
• Facility with Mental Health Act Forms
• Accountability to ARP billing processes, including timely shadow billing for direct and indirect client care via EMR processes
• Attend regular primary care provider meetings and clinic rounds
• Member in good standing with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta
• Appropriate medical liability insurance coverage (i.e., CMPA or equivalent)
• Affiliation with a PCN or willingness to join a PCN.
• Prior experience working with vulnerable populations (e.g., homeless serving sector, refugee health, remote outreach medicine, or similar) an asset 
• Experience in addiction medicine and supporting patients with addiction, or openness to learning about addiction medicine/treating addiction including Brief Motivational Interview, starting Suboxone/Sublocade, maintaining OAT and prescribing alcohol anti-craving medications
• Compassion for clients with challenging socioeconomic and life situations
• Ability to manage time effectively in a fast-paced environment
• Ability to manage medical IT systems – Telus CHR and Netcare
• A satisfactory vulnerable sector criminal record clearance and a child welfare intervention check are required
• Demonstrated knowledge, understanding and commitment to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action is an asset. 

How to apply: 

This position will remain open until a suitable candidate is found. We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. We will make every effort to accommodate candidate’s schedules and needs in all parts of the hiring process. 

The Alex is committed to embedding the principles of equity, inclusion, and diversity across the organization.

We are committed to removing barriers to employment that are faced by equity-seeking groups and encourage (but not require) members of these groups to self-identify as such in their cover letters. 

In accordance with our strategic priorities, we particularly encourage applications from individuals who self-identify as racialized* or Indigenous (First Nation, Metis, or Inuit). 

*The term “racialized” is used here instead of the more outdated and inaccurate terms “racial minority, “visible minority”, “person of colour”, or “non-White”. 

For further information about The Alex and its programs, we encourage you to visit our website at www.thealex.ca.