Introducing Healthy Working Environments Advisory Committee
The purpose of the Healthy Working Environments Advisory Committee (HWEAC) is to provide informed advice and guidance to the AMA Board of Directors in developing inclusive policies and innovative practices that support safe, caring, inclusive and healthy working environments for physicians.
While serving an advisory function, the focus will be one of co-creation and execution to advance the Board’s Business Plan Goal:
"The AMA is committed to working with and for physicians to address system issues which impede attaining a safe, healthy, and equitable working environment."
Priority activities within this goal include: 1) advancing the AMA’s Healthy Working Environments framework in key areas and 2) working with the AMA’s Healthy Working Environments Advisory Committee, identify additional opportunities and possible strategies.
AMA Physician Leadership Toolkit for Encouraging Diversity and Inclusion
As part of its business plan, the HWEAC identified four priority areas to focus its work. Priority #1 is to Promote and Recruit a Representative AMA. In discussion of how to address this priority, and with consideration given to a March 2019 RF resolution, “THAT AMA sections are encouraged to incorporate diversity and inclusivity in recruitment for section leadership”, the HWEAC supported the idea of the development of a toolkit. This toolkit is meant to support the recruitment and appointment of diverse candidates to AMA committees and other governance bodies.
Lori Campbell, Principal, Colbourne Institute for Inclusive Leadership (Norquest College) worked with the HWEAC and was instrumental in the creation of this toolkit. She consulted HWEAC members along with representatives from several external organizations including Alberta Health Services, Canadian Medical Association, Medical Students’ Association and Professional Association of Resident Physicians of Alberta were consulted to inform the toolkit’s contents. Several policy papers were also consulted including the CMA’s policy on Equity and Diversity in Medicine (which was adopted by the AMA Board in July 2020), AHS’ Recruitment and Employment Practices policy, and the University of Alberta’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusivity strategy.
To view the toolkit, please click on the link below.
- AMA Physician Leadership Toolkit for Encouraging Diversity and Inclusion
- Diversity and Inclusion Leadership Assessment Tool
Look for more updates and information to come on this page regarding the HWEAC's progress and plans for enabling and strengthening Health Work Environments.
