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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.
In our last survey we asked members what they want from the AMA. They expect representation and negotiations, but also want advocacy to explain the state of health care to Albertans. This includes advocating for sustainability of family medicine/primary care, the importance of the Patient's Medical Home and the serious situation in rural medicine where COVID-19 has worsened ongoing gaps in local health care teams.
Discussions between the Alberta Medical Association and government are entering a new stage and a joint statement will be issued today. Our ability to reach this point meant first addressing a number of matters that I’ve written to you about, e.g., virtual code changes (January 7), stipend programs delay (December 10) and Z-code and Alberta Health Services overhead policy (December 3).
The Alberta Health Bulletin for enhanced virtual care codes has now been published. I wrote to you on December 30 and January 7 regarding the new virtual care codes. Government agreed to implement these as a result of our recent discussions to address some priority issues in the system as part of exploring a return to negotiations and to stabilize physician practices.
I have heard from many physicians since the announcement of changes to virtual care code priority items (time for indirect care and complex modifiers). Like me, members were happy to hear the news that these codes will be available, but now urgently need the details in an accompanying Alberta Health bulletin.
I am pleased to tell you about some changes to virtual care fee codes that are coming into effect January 1, 2022. They will be announced today in a joint news release from government and the Alberta Medical Association.
In this letter:
In recent months we have opened a dialogue with Albertans about the COVID-19 care deficit, its effects and possible solutions. We’ve all seen the increasingly frequent news reports about the care deficit and the public has weighed in through albertapatients.ca to help us understand the ways in which they've been affected. We have shared how physicians are feeling in terms of dealing with the care deficit in our patient populations.
Physicians working in Alberta Health Services facilities, particularly those involved with programs that are remunerated by AHS stipend arrangements, will probably have seen a December 8 email from Dr. Francois Belanger, AHS Vice President, Quality and Chief Medical Officer. His email confirmed that an extension has been granted to many AHS clinical stipend programs so that they will not be ending December 31. I wrote to members that evening, promising more information to follow regarding this announcement. I am providing that to you today. The AMA’s Stipend Action Committee has prepared a detailed SAC Update, and we are sharing that here for your convenience.
For many physicians the January 1, 2022 date for implementation of the proposed Z-codes and Alberta Health Services overhead policy was a great concern. Yesterday, Alberta Health released a bulletin stating that the implementation date for both of these items is being delayed: Z-codes to October 2022 and AHS overhead targeted for June 2022. We have been actively advocating on these issues and I am pleased to know that so many members who are already struggling with so many challenges will have a reprieve.
After many months of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are physically and professionally tired. Let’s take opportunities when they come to lift ourselves up by celebrating accomplishments. These are things that can unite us! In that spirit, I hope this letter will allow you to feel appreciated – while offering a chance to honor the efforts of some amazing colleagues.