2023-24 Update on Healthy AMA

1. Governance 

• Improve transparency to members from all levels of AMA leadership, by implementing the approved recommendations from the Transparency Working Group. 
• Support sections in carrying out their roles by: 
  • Reviewing the results of the baseline survey of section executive, conducted by the Governance Oversight Group (GOG). 
  • Developing the needed tools and supports and making them available to sections.  
• Conduct an environmental scan of available leadership tools and supports both internally and through partner organizations like Canadian Medical Protective Association (CMPA), CMA and AHS and make these supports more accessible for AMA leaders and all AMA members. 

• The Transparency Working Group (TWG) final report was adopted at Spring 2023 RF and supported at the Board meeting in April. The TWG was dissolved as work in the Terms of Reference was completed and the RF and Board accepted the final TWG report. Staff are advancing recommendations in the report.
• At the June GOG meeting support was received for staff to advance a review the Code of Conduct and develop a code for sections noting that the SFM/SRM recently developed a Code. GOG reviewed results of the 2024 survey of members regarding section representation in June and assessment of section governance practices currently in place, GOG provided the Board with a set of recommended tools, templates and training to be developed to better support sections. This was supported by Board in April 2024. The scope of activity requires a multi-party governance model to ensure sustained involvement.
• A project was scoped with the key objectives to: (1) Provide individualized and structured supports for physician leaders and teams. (2) Develop and implement training programs on governance, finance and meeting management. (3) Foster a network of physician leaders through webinars, mentoring and coaching. (4) Develop and maintain onboarding strategies for new board members and AMA representatives. (5) Broaden the focus of physician leadership development through various media, including podcasts. AMA staff continue to advance the work.

2. Workforce 

• Implement the approved honoraria and expense guide improvements including: 
  • Pay honoraria rates based on the committee position. 
  • Increase honoraria rates to align with other jurisdictions. 
  • Provide honoraria for meeting preparation time.
  • Add dependent care as an eligible expense. 
• Create a positive, connected, cohesive workforce who provide exceptional value to members and encourage members to get involved with the AMA. 
  • Implement the approved recommendations from the Hybrid Working Group. 
• Undertake a competitive process to select AMA corporate legal counsel 

• Karina Guy was hired as the CEO of AMA and started in her role in July attending the Board meeting in her first week.
• Changes to the committee expense program were implemented as planned with the effective date of October 1, 2023. Honoraria rates have been increased and are comparable to other provincial medical associations. System enhancements have been implemented to accommodate both preparation time and dependent care. All committee policies have been updated and published to members.
• The Hybrid Working Group developed a comprehensive set of recommendations to ensure the workforce culture remains positive and connected while continuing to provide exceptional service and engagement to the membership. Implementation of the recommendations is underway and will continue throughout the year.
• The process of selecting corporate legal counsel is well underway. The competitive process is anticipated to wrap up in the coming months.
• The work of the Healthy Working Environments Advisory Committee, initially set up as Working Group, to develop a framework and identify the initial priorities, was completed and outcomes have been included in ongoing activities and programing. As a result, at the June Board meeting, a formal motion was adopted to dissolve this committee. 

3. Financial 

• Develop a balanced budget that sustains the organization, while making appropriate use of AMA reserves. 
• Steward program funding in accordance with the grant agreements. 

• The AMA is in good financial health with sustainable operations and fully funded board reserves.
• All accountability and reporting related to grant agreements are being satisfied.

4. Relationships 

• Optimize our relationship with the CMA and the Provincial and Territorial Medical Associations toward activities that benefit the collective provincial and national memberships. 
• Improve purposeful connections with representatives from other health professions to enable and champion development of team-based care in the broader system. 

• Staff continue to work closely with CMA and PTMAs on critical topics including Indigenous Health, policy, recent negotiations and issues around physician resources. Staff met with counterparts from the Doctors of British Columbia to discuss recent negotiations and settlements with physicians. Meetings with Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario are to be arranged.
• The CMA-AMA representative continues to attend AMA board meetings as an observer. The president continues to connect regularly with other health professions to further the development of team-based care.
• AMA physician representatives are exploring relationships with other multi-disciplinary providers as part of the Coalition for Primary Health Care.
• Representation from AMA on the AH led Health System Refocus Working Table transitioned to new physician leaders and the first meeting was held on August 22 and included the new CEO.

5. Knowledge 

• Assess the feasibility of enhancing our social media capabilities, including the development of a project charter (scope, budget, performance indicators, sustainability, etc.), and if approved by the Board, undertake a pilot implementation. 
• Modernize the AMA website to increase transparency, improve member experience and improve connection with and amongst members. 
• Continue the multi-year project of modernizing our member information systems. 

• An agency was retained to assess the AMA’s social media ecosystem and make recommendations for further expansion into new platforms. Member research will be conducted in February and March and recommendations brought to the Board. Ultimately this will inform the Business Plan for 2024-25 and explore ROI on any need for additional staff resources to deploy more social media, more broadly, to a wider audience.
• The website rebuild project is progressing on schedule. The new website launched to the public on August 19, 2024. Extensive member input has driven development of what is a cutting-edge platform with enhanced search capability that will learn as member experience builds. It also incorporates feedback mechanisms throughout to increase member engagement through this important tool.
• We are roughly two-thirds through the multi-year project to modernize our aging AMA member information systems. Funding was secured as part of the AMA Agreement to redevelop the government-funded programs, to ensure a common platform for all AMA systems.