Keeping our foot on the gas

December 18, 2023

Dear Members,

The calendar year may be running down but our advocacy to urgently stabilize family physician and rural generalist practices is still at full throttle. As you know, intense discussions have been underway for weeks. They are not ceasing now. I want to acknowledge the efforts that the Health Minister and her senior staff have made over many weeks to listen to what our AMA Strike Team is proposing and to understand the issues that are impeding the delivery of comprehensive, longitudinal primary care.

We’ve prepared a two-page document (member login required) to summarize what the AMA Strike Team has proposed to save and stabilize family medicine and rural generalist practices in Alberta. Our proposal to government includes immediately stabilizing failing community practices, a transition plan to fill the gaps until a new payment model can be implemented, and what we believe that new payment model should include.

(For those in acute, hospital and community specialty care, you are not forgotten. Work is also moving forward this week and we will update you.)

Register for the Family Medicine & Rural Generalists Town Hall

For more information, you are invited to register for a virtual member-only town hall this Wednesday, December 20 from 6 - 8 p.m.

This event is open to all members who share an interest in the sustainability of primary care as the first and foundational element required to restore our health care system. Physician leaders from the AMA Strike Team will share information about the work being done under the MoU with government, including the AMA's proposal to government.

Regards,

Paul Parks
President, Alberta Medical Association