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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.
In June, the government cancelled construction of the Edmonton laboratory hub lab project and is currently exploring the needs of the province for laboratory services. Yesterday, the Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science added its voice to support appropriate investment in this area. We wanted to update members with our own assessment of the situation and to let you know what the AMA and Section of Laboratory Physicians have been doing.
You may have seen an update bulletin from the Physician Compensation Committee today, including reference to the recent Deloitte overhead study and the committee’s discussion. As I wrote to you April 25 in a President’s Letter, the Board of Directors formed a small working group in response to concerns raised by the Representative Forum and sections about the results provided by Deloitte. The working group was asked to review what has been provided and then recommend (i) what, if any, elements of the study are usable and (ii) the next steps for ensuring usable overhead information in the Income Equity Initiative.
At our annual planning retreat in a few weeks, the Board will be bringing together months of environmental scanning, analysis and discussion around the Board table. We will be planning for the year ahead in the interests of members and with a new government. Today I wanted to give you a sense of what that has involved.
Like me, perhaps you have lately observed a surge of headlines, reports and journal articles like these: "Why focusing on professional burnout is not enough", "Task force launched to tackle sexual harassment", "Addressing gender equity and diversity in Canada’s medical profession", "Understanding how patients perceive physician wellness and its links to patient care", "Most doctors have little or no management training, and that’s a problem."
In the March 25 President’s Letter, I wrote to you about the overhead (office expenses) study under the Income Equity Initiative. Concerns have been raised by the Representative Forum and sections about the results provided by Deloitte. In response, the Board has formed a small working group with delegates from the Specialty Care Alliance and sections of General Practice and Rural Medicine. The working group will review what has been provided and then recommend (i) what, if any, elements of the study are usable and (ii) next steps for ensuring usable overhead information for use in the IEI.