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.
I wrote to you on November 26 about the explosive rates of COVID-19 in Alberta and the new measures that have been taken to slow the virus down. It is too early to know how effective these will be. Promising news about vaccine availability and provincial logistical planning for roll out may provide a little daylight, but it does not change our current situation and the pressure on our health care system.
Since I wrote to you earlier this week, additional public health measures have been announced to slow the COVID-19 pandemic. There has been a lot of debate on the probable effectiveness of these plans and what needs to happen next.
We have all been watching the seemingly unabated rise in COVID-19 cases with increasing concern. There is little doubt that if we continue on this path, more severe restrictions are inevitable. In the meantime, the AMA encourages all Albertans to do their part by wearing a mask, practicing social distancing, hand washing and following all public health guidance that may be forthcoming.
Every year, the Canadian Medical Association holds nominations and election processes for the position of CMA president-elect and this year the president-elect will be chosen from Alberta. If Alberta’s nominee is ratified, that physician will become CMA president in August 2022.
We have heard from many physicians since our October 2 President’s Letter about government’s decision to terminate grant funding for the AMA’s Alternative Relationship Plan Physician Support Services (ARP PSS) program. A variety of things have been underway to determine how the AMA can best assist members in both the short and long term.
About 1,300 physicians registered for an AMA webinar last Friday entitled: Living with the Sunshine List. Government has said it will release the list on or before November 9. A recording of the webinar is available on the AMA website (member login required). Below is some key content for those who may not find time to watch in the next few days.
As Dr. Christine Molnar wrote to you in September, the AMA participated in the consultation initiated by the College of Physicians & Surgeons of Alberta regarding three standards of practice: Job Action; Closing or Leaving a Medical Practice; and Relocating a Medical Practice.
Before October winds down, I wanted to write about our inaugural virtual annual general meeting, held on October 5. It was a chance to think of the year just passed and lay out our plans for the year ahead. You will be hearing much more about these plans in upcoming letters.
You may have seen media coverage in the last 24 hours relating to the latest quarterly physician supply statistics from the College of Physicians & Surgeons of Alberta that show a net increase in the third quarter. The CPSA noted that net increases this year have been smaller than over the last five years and recognized that we will not know the actual numbers until the end of the year.
On Monday of this week, during our Association’s 115th Annual General Meeting, I was honored to officially assume my position as AMA president for the 2020-21 year. Before touching on anything else, I would like to recognize the amazing work and dedication of our Immediate Past President, Dr. Christine Molnar.