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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 October 23 President's Letter
Here is AMA Fact Checkup – Issue 2. In this issue, we check and correct government on statements they have made.
Every day, misinformation about the health care system – often coming from government talking points – gets amplified and repeated in media coverage and on social media. For physicians, evidence matters. The barrage of misleading commentary is beyond frustrating.
Today we are launching a major advertising campaign.
The main message is this: Government is not listening to physicians. Decisions are being made without application of relevant expertise. Our system needs informed reform.
This is my first President’s Letter. I am honoured to take on this role. I will have your back and fight with everything I’ve got.
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.
Media reports over the weekend highlighted a 2020 study by colleagues at the University of Calgary that found significant presence of explicit anti-Indigenous bias among some physicians who participated in the survey.
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.
Yesterday the federal government announced a proposed new health funding framework with the provinces and territories, prioritizing primary care, health workforce wellness, health human resources and innovation toward sustainability.
There are always many things going on in the AMA and I like to keep you informed about our current priorities even if the next steps or outcomes are still unknown. The Board of Directors is meeting today and Friday in Calgary to be briefed and provide direction on many issues for the profession.