Private Diagnostic Imaging in Alberta
As medical students, we are taught to think carefully about when a test is indicated, what information it will provide, and how its results will change management. At the same time, Alberta’s healthcare system is creating new opportunities for patients to access diagnostic imaging outside of the traditional physician-referred pathway. Since July this year, Albertans can book preventative imaging such as MRIs, CT scans, ultrasounds, and X-rays at private clinics without a physician referral at their own expense. This change marks a significant shift in how Albertans can access diagnostic imaging in decades.
The province highlights that the policy is based on promoting more autonomy for Albertans over their health. Through this policy, the government aims to expand choice and detect disease earlier and alleviate some pressure on a public imaging system seeing a considerable increase in imaging wait times. There is a reasonable argument that this policy can create additional capacity in the system without drawing on public funds since a private avenue could facilitate new diagnostic equipment, technology and staff, especially in underserved and rural areas. For patients who value proactive health monitoring, being able to seek testing independently may feel empowering. For patients tired of waiting months for an MRI, that pitch is understandably appealing.
However, as medical students, we also need to consider what happens after the scan. More testing does not necessarily mean an improved healthcare system or better health outcomes for the public.
According to some critics, privately paid self-referred scans can be associated with the possibility of unnecessary investigations and downstream consequences. With the increased utilization of screening imaging comes the risk of overdiagnosis. Testing can produce incidental findings or false positive results that can lead patients down a cascade of repeat imaging, specialist consultations, invasive investigations, procedures and anxiety, sometimes for nothing. This would require patients to seek follow-up through walk-in clinics or emergency departments- the very parts of the system this policy hopes to relieve.
Thinking of this policy within the broader Canadian debate about private delivery also makes me wonder where it stands with the Canada Health Act which is based on the core principle of accessibility based on need, not ability to pay. The policy aims to keep medically necessary testing publicly funded, remaining within the bounds of federal health law. But I wonder how clearly this will be implemented in practice.
Alberta’s approach to preventative imaging is still developing. According to the province, the program continues to be monitored and will be adjusted as needed. As a medical student watching this unfold, I don't think the evidence is settled enough yet to say confidently whether this policy will ease pressure on the public system or add new strain to it.
Preventative imaging raises an important clinical question: when does finding something early improve outcomes, and when does it simply create another problem for the healthcare system and the patient?
References
Government of Alberta. Preventative health testing. 2026.
McRae AD, Lang ES. Privately paid, direct-to-consumer diagnostic testing: let the buyer beware. CMAJ. 2026;198(5):E181-E182. doi:10.1503/cmaj.260109.
Government of Alberta. Learning About Incidental Findings on Imaging Tests. MyHealth Alberta. 2024.
Health Canada. Diagnostic Services Policy.
Health Canada. How publicly funded health care coverage works.
