President's Letter
Dear Members,
The Representative Forum meeting last weekend included a candid session with Minister of Health Adriana LaGrange. The minister addressed the RF and then took questions from the delegates. She made several announcements:
- AMA requested amendments to virtual care mental health care codes will be implemented.
- Good faith claims (for services provided in AHS facilities) will use the same claims submission process that existed prior to 2020.
- There will be changes to reduce burden around special authorization processes for prescription renewals.
The first two items belatedly deliver provisions of our agreement. No details or expected implementation dates were provided. We will seek clarification and keep you posted.
There are other critical problems now plaguing our system. This includes sustaining community family practices in the delivery of longitudinal care. Government has acknowledged the crisis. Working with the Section of Family Medicine and Section of Rural Medicine, we have proposed solutions. This follows several months of work that involved your AMA Executive Committee, SRM, SFM and the PCN Physician Leads Executive.
Family medicine practices and clinics are dying, and we must address those needs now.
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.'"