It's all about health workforce

January 10, 2024

Dear Members, 

Through the holiday season and into this early new year, we have advocated ceaselessly for your needs with government, in the media and through social media. There have been meetings, media interviews and advertising (see our sample for rural medicine). Through our campaign, Albertans are asking MLAs to support the immediate and long-term stabilization of family and rural generalist medicine in the upcoming Budget 2024.

We are also highlighting the parallel crisis in acute, hospital and community specialist care and laying out a road forward. We want to see: fair, principle-based representation; remuneration that is competitive nationally and globally; and a comprehensive compensation strategy that aligns with what Alberta patients need from their physicians, in all settings, 24/7/365.

Ultimately, patient care is at stake, and everything boils down to the ability to retain and recruit the best talent. Alberta has been falling behind for many reasons as a destination for learners and practicing physicians. Now that our proposals and discussion of stabilization and solutions are underway with government, it is also time  to turn our collective attention to data-driven, strategic physician supply policy and planning. Immediate stabilization investment will allow Alberta to retain the amazing physicians we currently have and will provide time for the hard work required to ultimately bolster health care provider numbers on all fronts across Alberta.

We appreciate the Minister’s ongoing commitment to collaboration. Our stabilization proposals for primary and acute care are very much in line with the goals and capabilities set out in the AMA Agreement and would address many of the factors contributing to physician supply problems in this province. The working relationships we are building and the physician expertise we have available, create opportunities for advocacy to improve other key areas such as infrastructure and capacity building.

More to come!

Regards,

Paul Parks
President, Alberta Medical Association