2024/2025 Membership Renewal is now open!
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.
This letter is for those who prefer very brief updates. Read on for information on items that members have inquired about.
The Board of Directors met Thursday and Friday, September 27-28. This was our first meeting since the new agreement was ratified and an opportunity for assessing where we are and why as we move into implementation.
As we adjust to the welcome realities of a post-negotiation environment and having an agreement with government, I want to assure you that our advocacy work will continue. Our health care system is still under immense pressure. As physicians, we have a responsibility to help Albertans understand what is happening and what is at stake. Our Care Deficit Assessment Series (CDAS) has explored some of those system-wide issues, including the crisis in emergency departments, children’s mental health and care of the elderly.
As I begin my term as president, I would like to thank the membership of the AMA for your vote of confidence. This is an honour that I certainly wouldn’t have expected myself. Hopefully, I will prove worthy.
At Monday’s Annual General Meeting, I began my term as AMA president. It is a privilege to face this year with you as we begin a new agreement with government in the midst of an ongoing health care storm. There are many priorities, but I believe there are three key things that will be essential, and I will write to you again in the next few days to comment further on these.
When I became president of the AMA in September 2021, I was told that the year would go by fast, yet I am still astonished at how quickly it has gone. Serving as AMA president has been altogether the most challenging, humbling experience of my life.
Voting closed today at 4 p.m. for the 2022-26 agreement package just negotiated with government. I am pleased to report that members ratified it with a “Yes” vote from 70.2% of responding physicians. (Voter turnout was 45.8%. While turnout was higher for the package that members rejected in 2021, today’s result is significantly higher than recent ratifications.)
You may recall that I have been engaging with the seven candidates for the leadership of the United Conservative Party in recent weeks. I have met now with five and meetings are booked for the remaining two.
Members tell the AMA that one of the most important things we do is help the public better understand the health care system from the front lines. As promised in my letter last week, advocacy will continue as members consider the potential agreement package and beyond the vote, regardless of the outcome. This advocacy work helps focus attention on critical health issues so we can work together to ensure Albertans receive the care they need, when and where they need it.
Today the Supreme Court of the United States struck down the landmark Roe vs. Wade ruling. While we have anticipated this possibility with dread, the actual overturning of this decades-old jurisprudence decision on abortion is much worse for women of our neighbouring nation.