www.albertadoctors.org - Party leaders respond to AMA's questions about health care

boxes_blue Health care impacts everyone and, therefore, deserves to be given a high priority on the government agenda.

To determine a political party's position on health care, the Alberta Medical Association posed 10 questions to the leaders of the following parties: Alberta Greens (George Read), Alberta Liberal Party (Kevin Taft), Alberta New Democrat Party (Brian Mason), Progressive Conservative Party of Alberta (Ed Stelmach) and Wildrose Alliance (Paul Hinman).

To view the party leaders' responses to the AMA's questions below, click on the linked questions below.

A. The Alberta Medical Association advocates the health care system should put Patients First®. Would your government:

Make primary care networks available to all Albertans?
Support physicians’ efforts to protect patient confidentiality in the management of electronic medical records (EMRs) and electronic health records (EHRs)?
Expand coverage of Alberta’s Health Care Insurance Plan to include advice from physicians on smoking cessation and other preventive services?
Address Alberta’s physician shortage through programs and initiatives that attract and retain physicians and encourage them to remain in practice?
Not lower the standards required for a physician to be licensed in Alberta? And would it respect the authority and expertise of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta to set the standards for licensure?

B. Physicians play a key role in the delivery of care to Albertans. Would your government:

Continue to fund the computerization of physician offices through the Physician Office System Program?
Create a climate of stability and certainty as the province develops its provincial electronic health record (pEHR)?
Recognize the value and the leadership created by Alberta’s unique trilateral agreement between Alberta Health and Wellness, the Alberta Medical Association and the regional health authorities?
Involve, in a meaningful and collaborative way, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta and the Alberta Medical Association in developing the rules and regulations required by Bill 41?
Respect the professionalism and professional autonomy of physicians, their leadership in the delivery of health care, and their contribution to the Alberta economy?