Re: Termination of ARP Physician Support Services program and office
September 30, 2020
Dear ARP Member:
At a meeting late this morning, we were advised by Alberta Health that they would be proceeding, effective today, to terminate the ARP Physician Support Services program and office. This is despite the AMA’s proposal to maintain the office in the best interest of furthering ARP and AMHSP uptake by physicians in Alberta and continuing to enhance and improve existing ARPs. You may already have seen the attached Bulletin, released by Alberta Health at 4 p.m. today.
This event, although on short notice, was not unexpected. It is still extremely disappointing. It is a mystifying approach from a government that claims it wants to increase the presence of ARPs in Alberta. We have already heard from many of you and deeply regret any disruption to your practice and plans as a result of this uAMA nilateral government decision as yet another part of their Physician Funding Framework.
The AMA is our organization, our voice. We continue to meet the challenges facing our members.
We will soon be providing you with a dedicated clinical ARP contact point for future interaction and representation support from the AMA. We recognize the valuable contribution that you and your colleagues have been making to deliver care for unique communities of patients and we are looking for the best ways to support you in continuing to do that.
We will be in touch soon. Please let us know if you have questions or comments in the interim.
Sincerely,
Dr. Christine P. Molnar