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The "voice of the AMA" – Published regularly throughout the year, the President's Letter informs you about Alberta Medical Association positions on key and complex issues in Alberta’s health care.
Read the November 22 President's Letter
As part of a cross-ministry effort by the provincial government, Alberta Health has invited the Alberta Medical Association to complete a survey on behalf of members. It relates to “legislative changes to safeguard freedom of expression for regulated professionals.”
Right now, the AMA is engaged in more advocacy than at any other time in our history. In the category of fact checking, we coordinated yesterday with section experts to respond to comments made by the premier in a news conference.
Here is AMA Fact Checkup – Issue 2. In this issue, we check and correct government on statements they have made.
Comments on the most recent President's Letter are enabled and welcome. You may also contact the AMA President by email at [email protected].
Below you will find previous issues of The President's Letter. For older issues no longer on the website, contact us.
Government is moving forward with the Modernizing Alberta’s Primary Health Care System (MAPS) initiative.
The Representative Forum held a productive two-day meeting March 10 and 11 in Calgary.
Following media reports on a study that identified explicit anti-Indigenous bias among some Alberta physicians, I have released a statement.
Members have commented about a recent media event with the Premier, Minister of Health and Alberta Health Services Official Administrator. At this public relations event the OA outlined progress on his mandated tasks relating to reduced surgical wait times, emergency room wait times and emergency medical services response times.
Yesterday’s budget includes new funds for a health care system under stress, but it is difficult to determine how much. For example, health spending grew significantly in the past year, but that growth is measured against a period of fewer services for many patients due to the global pandemic.
The two major parties have both released statements about primary health care. Polling suggests that health care will dominate the general election (May 29 or earlier) and the provincial budget (Tuesday, February 28).
There is a new Alberta Health Bulletin regarding 2022-23 retroactive payments for physicians in clinical alternative relationship plans, Academic Medicine Health Services Program, sessional clinical alternative relationship plans and Blended Capitation Model. Each category has a payment schedule that is explained in the bulletin.
Government has announced short-term recommendations from the Modernizing Alberta’s Primary Health Care System (MAPS) initiative and funding for primary care in the provincial budget. We see generally good news, if somewhat short on details, to ensure we support sustainable family practice and move primary care in the right direction.
The MAPS initiative, an Alberta Health initiative involving numerous professions and organizations, is progressing. I thank the expert physician leaders who have worked for months to develop AMA proposals to improve the primary care system.
The Joint Physician Advocacy Committee advises the Alberta Medical Association about our public advocacy. They have suggested that the AMA should tell the public more about how the system works, what’s happening and how physicians contribute. There are two streams: (i) Family Medicine and (ii) Acute and Hospital Care.