October 30, 2020
FORT McMURRAY – Local access to surgical care has increased with the recruitment of a new general surgeon now practising in the community.
Dr. Alex Bressan is a general surgeon working out of the Northern Lights Regional Healthcare Centre. He moved to Fort McMurray at the end of August from Calgary, where he received his general surgery training.
“We are very excited to welcome Dr. Bressan and his family to our community,” says
Dr. Mowaffaq Almikhlafi, the hospital’s Facility Medical Director. “We recognized the need for adding a third general surgeon in order to maintain the level of access needed to meet the growing demand for general surgical procedures in Fort McMurray. We look forward to adding his expertise to the Wood Buffalo community.”
Before completing his specialty training in Calgary, Dr. Bressan earned his medical degree and completed his residency in his home country of Brazil. He is married and has two sons.
“This is wonderful news for this region,” says Laila Goodridge, MLA for Fort McMurray-Lac La Biche. “Dr. Bressan’s skills are a great addition to the medical team in Fort McMurray and the addition of a new general surgeon will allow more healthcare closer to home.”
“It is very exciting that a third general surgeon is coming to work in Fort McMurray,” adds Tany Yao, MLA for Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo. “On behalf of Fort McMurray, we extend a warm welcome to Dr. Bressan and look forward to him joining the surgical team.”
Murray Crawford, AHS Senior Operating Officer in AHS North Zone, says the addition of
Dr. Bressan to the surgical team is great news for the community. “We will see an increase of surgical capacity in our facility, which translates to shorter wait times and less people having to travel out of town,” Crawford says.
AHS continues to recruit for physicians across northern Alberta to meet community needs and has physician resource planners who are dedicated to identifying and pursuing international and domestic physician recruitment opportunities. They work closely with various community partners and organizations, such as local Health Advisory Councils, the Rural Health Professions Action Plan, and independent physician recruitment and retention committees.
Alberta Health Services is the provincial health authority responsible for planning and delivering health supports and services for more than four million adults and children living in Alberta. Its mission is to provide a patient-focused, quality health system that is accessible and sustainable for all Albertans.
