Private Healthcare in Calgary: What It Is, What It Includes, and How to Choose
Primaris Health | #400, 60 Uxborough Place NW, Calgary, AB T2N 2V2 | (403) 604-0511 | primarishealth.ca
Everything you need to know before choosing a private clinic in Calgary
Private healthcare in Calgary refers to clinics that provide faster access, longer appointments, and coordinated, prevention-focused care, typically through a membership model. The membership fees cover what the public system does not: extended appointment time, multidisciplinary coordination, in-house allied health services, and a dedicated care manager who keeps your plan moving.
This is the most complete guide to private healthcare in Calgary for 2026. It covers how the model functions, what to look for in a clinic, how Calgary's private health market is structured, what Primaris Health includes and how it compares, and the practical questions most people have before making a decision.
What Private Healthcare in Calgary Actually Means
When Calgarians search for private healthcare, they are looking for one or more specific outcomes: Timely access to a doctor, longer appointment times, a coordinated prevention plan, or an integrated team that reduces the logistical burden of managing care across multiple providers. Private clinics deliver these outcomes by operating within a membership or direct-pay structure that funds the additional capacity, staffing, and coordination infrastructure required.
The medicine itself is identical. A private family physician in Calgary holds the same medical licence and follows the same College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta standards. What changes is the delivery model: smaller patient panels, longer visits, shared team records, and a coordination layer that the public system cannot sustain at scale.
In Alberta, private membership clinic models are legal and regulated. A 2024–2025 provincial audit of 13 membership clinics found no significant non-compliance, and patients in membership models received measurably better access and care coordination than unattached patients. Fees must cover only uninsured services; any fee charged for an insured service would violate the Canada Health Act.
The Calgary Healthcare Gap: Why Demand Is Growing
Alberta grew faster than any other province in 2024. Calgary absorbed a large share of that growth against a primary care system that was already stretched. The result is that hundreds of thousands of Albertans lack a regular family doctor, specialist wait times average over 20 weeks across most disciplines, and the typical primary care appointment, when accessible, lasts under 12 minutes. Against this backdrop, private healthcare is not a luxury product. For working professionals and families who need consistent, proactive care, it is increasingly the only way to get it.
Who Private Healthcare in Calgary Is For
What to Look for in a High-Quality Private Clinic
A team that actually collaborates
Shared clinical records, direct provider communication, and a named person responsible for coordinating across the team. If the answer to "how does your team coordinate?" is "patients bring their own records," that is not a team-based model.
Breadth of services under one roof
The fewer external referrals required, the better follow-through tends to be. Ask which services are genuinely in-house, physio, chiropractic, dietician, dermatology, optometry, and how coordination is managed when multiple providers are involved.
A registered nurse as care manager, not a scheduler
The most common failure point in private care is a plan that exists on paper but never gets executed. A clinically trained care manager who proactively manages bookings, follows up on results, tracks referrals, and flags overdue steps is what turns a good plan into an improving health trajectory.
Unrushed appointments and genuine continuity
A 30-to-45-minute appointment with a provider who has your full history in front of them is categorically different from a 10-minute visit with a provider who is meeting you for the first time. Continuity and time are what allow patterns to be recognized and root causes to be addressed.
Transparent pricing and clear scope
What is included in the membership? What are add-ons? A trustworthy clinic answers these questions clearly. Most Calgary membership clinics price adult memberships between $4,500 and $6,200 per year. Most fees qualify for the CRA Medical Expense Tax Credit and are reimbursable through employer Health Spending Accounts.
The Primaris Health Model
Primaris Health is a private health clinic in Calgary's University District, located at #400, 60 Uxborough Place NW, Calgary, AB T2N 2V2. The clinic opened in early 2026 with a founding premise: Calgary patients are struggling with fragmentation. Primaris is built to solve that problem by bringing every major component of a comprehensive health plan under one roof, coordinated by a clinical team that shares records and communicates directly.
The medical team
Family physician Dr. Dan Chen MD, CCFP, FCFP brings over a decade of clinical experience and advanced training from Harvard, the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine, and the University of Florida, with specialization in obesity medicine, hormone optimization, longevity medicine, and AI-assisted health tools.
Dr. Brenden Kunimoto MD, CCFP, holds a combined MD/MBA from the University of Alberta, has served as medical director of Calgary's busiest public clinic, and brings expertise in emergency medicine, point-of-care ultrasound, and complex chronic disease management.
Women's health specialist Dr. Aliya Jamal MD, CCFP has devoted nearly her entire career to women's health, with deep expertise in hormonal health, menopause, IUD and Nexplanon insertion, and cervical screening.
The allied health and specialist team
Physiotherapist Eric Moon MScPT specializes in biomechanics and pain neuroscience. Chiropractor Dr. Michael Lau DC focuses on posture, shoulder pain, and chronic spine conditions. Naturopathic doctor Dr. Madison Thorne ND leads a full-time practice in women's hormonal health.
Dermatologist Dr. Paul Lubitz MD, FRCPC is a Royal College-accredited, dual-board-certified specialist with advanced training in skin cancer surgery, laser procedures, and medical aesthetics.
Optometrist Dr. Michael Yu OD brings 15 years of full-scope practice. Care coordination is led by Matthew Lau RN, MSc and Hyeyoung Hyshin RN, both registered nurses with acute care and oncology backgrounds from Foothills Medical Centre.
What membership includes
Full-access professional consults across the entire team with no visit cap for Executive Members. Full-access treatments including physiotherapy, chiropractic, massage therapy, acupuncture, in-house fitness training, and meal planning. A dedicated Personal Care Manager (RN). In-house bloodwork and body composition scanning. Same-day and next-day appointment access.
The Comprehensive Annual Health Assessment
At $3,550, the Primaris Comprehensive Annual Health Assessment is a 3+ hour coordinated evaluation covering a physician medical exam, fitness assessment, nutritional consultation, dermatological skin cancer screening, comprehensive eye exam, and advanced bloodwork including proteomic and metabolomic markers. Optional additions include naturopathic consultation, massage, and mental health assessment. The Complete Diagnostics package adds a full-body MRI with radiologist report ($3,600) and integration into your custom care plan. Precision Medicine testing, genetic and microbiome analysis, is available upon request.
Add-Ons and Advanced Diagnostics
Optional add-on services at Primaris include IV therapy, precision medicine genetic testing, dry eye treatment, medical aesthetics by Dr. Lubitz, shockwave therapy, custom orthotics and bracing, and frames and lenses through the in-house optometry service. Advanced diagnostics such as full-body imaging and pharmacogenomics are available when the clinical picture supports their use.
Membership Fees, Alberta Health, and Benefits Coverage
Membership fees cover uninsured services only. Fees typically qualify as a medical expense under the CRA Medical Expense Tax Credit and are reimbursable through most employer Health Spending Accounts, reducing the effective cost by 20 to 40 percent depending on plan and tax bracket.
Frequently Asked Questions
Private healthcare in Calgary is a clinic model that provides faster access, longer appointments, and coordinated prevention-focused care through a membership or direct-pay structure. The membership fee funds uninsured services, care coordination, allied health access, and the extended capacity that makes same-day access and unrushed visits genuinely achievable.
Yes. Alberta permits membership clinics that charge for uninsured services while continuing to bill AHCIP for covered insured services. A 2024–2025 provincial audit found no significant non-compliance among the 13 membership clinics reviewed.
Most Calgary private clinics price adult annual memberships between $4,500 and $6,200. Primaris Health's Comprehensive Annual Health Assessment starts at $3,550 as a standalone option. Membership pricing is available by consultation. Most fees qualify for the CRA Medical Expense Tax Credit and are reimbursable through employer Health Spending Accounts.
A comprehensive membership typically includes professional consults across a multidisciplinary team, allied health treatments (physio, chiropractic, massage, acupuncture), in-house bloodwork, a dedicated care manager, and same-day or next-day appointment access. Add-ons vary by clinic.
No. Private clinic membership supplements the public system. Members may still use the public system for hospital care, surgeries, and specialist services that the private clinic coordinates but does not provide.
A Personal Care Manager is a dedicated clinical professional, typically a registered nurse, who coordinates your appointments, tracks referrals, follows up on results, and keeps your care plan current. At Primaris, care managers are RNs with backgrounds in acute care and oncology, making the role clinically substantive rather than purely administrative.
Primaris Health is located at #400, 60 Uxborough Place NW, Calgary, AB T2N 2V2, in the University District in northwest Calgary. Call (403) 604-0511 or visit primarishealth.ca.
Yes. The Primaris Comprehensive Annual Health Assessment ($3,550) is available as a standalone option with no membership required. Many patients begin with the assessment and choose to continue as members based on the plan it generates.
Disclaimer: The content on this page is for general educational purposes only and does not constitute personal medical advice. For assessment, diagnosis, or treatment, please consult a qualified clinician. To book with the Primaris Health team, call (403) 604-0511 or visit primarishealth.ca.
Primaris Health is a private health clinic located at #400, 60 Uxborough Place NW, Calgary, AB T2N 2V2, in the University District in Calgary NW. The clinic serves members across Calgary NW, downtown Calgary, and greater Calgary, Alberta.