President's Letter
Dear Members,
Yesterday’s budget includes new funds for a health care system under stress, but it is difficult to determine how much. For example, health spending grew significantly in the past year, but that growth is measured against a period of fewer services for many patients due to the global pandemic. (We are still deep in the care deficit that resulted.) Characterizing this catch-up as “new funding” could be viewed as a little misleading.
Amount aside, it matters where new dollars go. The budget will fund more training spaces and enhance recruitment efforts for health personnel. It is just as (or more) important to retain and support the health care workforce that we already have. What additional help will there be for health providers, or for physician practices in the community that are struggling? All provinces are in competition and acting accordingly. What will Alberta do? Health human resources will be the single largest problem facing this province’s health care system for years to come and we need to respond now.
The federal health care funding that was just announced could help. The government needs to commit that these dollars will be allocated on top of yesterday’s provincial budget and not just absorbed into general revenue. These new federal dollars fail to recognize the size of the problem — as our provincial government always points out to Ottawa — but they can help if they are focused on our challenges.
You are always welcome to share your thoughts with me. You can email me via president@albertadoctors.org. You can also comment on this letter on the AMA website.
Regards,
fred Rinaldi, MD, CCFP, FCFP, LLB, MBA, MPA(HSA), BCom
President, Alberta Medical Association
"Fate whispers to the warrior, 'You can not withstand the storm.' The warrior whispers back, 'I am the storm.'"