President's Letter
Dear Members,
Our news conference on Tuesday about the crisis in family medicine received excellent media coverage. You can review the news conference recording (or watch the Q&A session) as we highlighted new data measuring the extreme financial instability and threat to viability facing family and rural generalist physician practices. Most coverage focused on these figures:
20% say their practices are unlikely to be financially viable beyond six months (8% say three months), and only 21% feel their finances could sustain up to one year.
61% of family physicians are considering leaving Alberta’s health care system, either through early retirement (38%) or by looking for work in another province or country (39%).
We are doing everything we can to convey the extreme urgency of the situation and the need for immediate action from government – in weeks, not months.
We need Albertans to be alarmed by this and to speak to their MLAs and let government know they insist on this as a priority for the Government of Alberta.
Please add your voice. All of us, in every specialty, are affected by this province’s shrinking capacity to deliver comprehensive primary care. Family, rural or acute care specialist ... tell us your story.
Record a quick video (20-30 seconds will do the trick) that includes your name, where you practice and what you’re experiencing as a result of the lack of access to comprehensive care. Our video recording tool is super simple to use and there are a few excellent examples from colleagues who have already stepped up (click the images to view):
WE NEED MORE!
It really is easy... if we can do it, you can too. Please record a video today. It could make all the difference.
Regards,
Paul Parks
President, Alberta Medical Association