Alberta Medical Association

AMA offices and phone lines closed June 8

June 7, 2023

Please note the AMA offices and phone lines will be closed for a staff event on Thursday, June 8. Regular business hours will resume Friday, June 9.

Lab physicians: Essential services deserving attention

May 31, 2023

PRESIDENT'S LETTER: All specialties in our profession deserve due process for contractual discussions, with access to dispute resolution when required. I am writing you today to let you know that there’s one community in particular that is still waiting to see due process: laboratory medicine.

Election over; no time to waste

May 30, 2023

PRESIDENT'S LETTER: The United Conservative Party has won the provincial election and will form the government until 2027. I have written today to Premier Smith to congratulate her on the outcome of the vote.

Parties respond to AMA questions

May 24, 2023

PRESIDENT'S LETTER: The final component of our election information program is hearing from the two major parties in response to the questions we posed in our seven-topic Handle With Care series. You can find their answers here.

Watch party leaders at AMA's health care town hall

May 23, 2023

PRESIDENT'S LETTER: Last night the AMA hosted a virtual patient town hall about health care with Ms. Danielle Smith and Ms. Rachel Notley. The video is now available for viewing. More than 2,200 patients joined the virtual event on a long weekend Monday evening.

Hard times, anger, but we will remain united!

May 19, 2023

PRESIDENT'S LETTER: Every day, angry and frustrated members write to me about their financial challenges. I understand. I have the same issues. But we are the AMA. We don’t approach challenges as an organized labor group would. Negotiating fair and competitive compensation is a most important Key Result Area, but we seek to do this in a way that benefits patient care. We are more than dollars and cents in a contract. We seek value for patients and fairness for physicians.

Message re wildfires from AMA

May 12, 2023

UPDATED MAY 12 - A few cooler days of showers helped to douse some fires and that is good news. Many members and Albertans are still out of their homes or on evacuation alert. As hot weather returns, we’re sending thanks and good thoughts to the firefighters, communities and volunteers who continue to contribute amazingly to the response. To our members, we say again that our thoughts are with you. We’ll keep compiling information here.

Election issue 7: Primary Care

May 11, 2023

PRESIDENT'S LETTER: Today we release the final issue of our election information program Handle With Care. The primary care profile addresses: the state of family medicine; the need to sustainably support clinics and family physicians that are in crisis; and the value of providing every Albertan with a medical home.

Alberta Doctors' Digest

May 10, 2023

The May/June issue of Alberta Doctors' Digest is now available! Highlights include: Capturing the moment to improve the future: AMA tracker survey member feedback; Understanding the impact of long COVID; Medicine's impossible compassion burden.

Election issue 6: Drug Poisoning Crisis

May 5, 2023

PRESIDENT'S LETTER: Recent years have caused at-risk individuals in cities and towns to become homeless or lose access to support for substance use disorders or mental illness. While they have struggled to get the help they need, increasingly toxic street drugs have taken a horrible toll. We lost 1,498 vulnerable Albertans in 2022 to unintentional drug poisoning. In 2019 that number was 626.

National Physicians Day 2023

May 1, 2023

National Physicians Day is a chance to celebrate the contributions of the extraordinary people who choose to serve in the medical profession. Physicians choose medicine for myriad reasons, but first and foremost it is to help people live in good health.

Celebrating National Physicians’ Day; initial thoughts on MAPS statement

May 1, 2023

PRESIDENT'S LETTER: Today is National Physicians’ Day. A day to celebrate the contributions of the extraordinary people who choose to serve in the medical profession. Also, Ministter of Health Jason Copping has released a statement on the final reports from the Modernizing Alberta's Primary Health Care System (MAPS) initiative. While we have yet to see the full report, we do have some preliminary comments to share with members.

Your AMA Section: Three question survey

May 1, 2023

Please take a moment to complete a three-question survey regarding your experience with your section. The survey will close Friday, May 19 at 4 p.m. The survey is being conducted on behalf of the Representative Forum Governance Oversight Group; it supports GOG's goal to increase the effectiveness of the AMA's governance structure and promote excellence among sections. All responses are anonymous and only aggregate data will be provided to section executives and shared with GOG.

Election issue 5: Indigenous health

April 28, 2023

PRESIDENT'S LETTER: The most recent issue in our Handle with Care election information program explores Indigenous health. By almost every measure, First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples in Alberta experience poorer health outcomes as a result of ongoing health inequities and barriers to care. This is evident in higher rates of chronic illness, mental health challenges and addiction. It’s unacceptable that this reality persists in 2023.

Family medicine spots still unfilled in Alberta

April 27, 2023

PRESIDENT'S LETTER: The Canadian Resident Matching Service (CaRMS) reported an unprecedented number of unfilled family medicine spaces in Alberta in their round one match this year. Unfortunately, the second round of matching has filled only 20 of the 42 vacancies.

Funds offered through CII/CPAR Acceleration Grant now available

April 24, 2023

PRESIDENT'S LETTER: The Community Information Integration and Central Patient Attachment Registry (CII/CPAR) enables physicians and their teams to share patient information to Alberta Netcare directly from their electronic medical record (EMR).

Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medal

April 24, 2023

The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medal was bestowed on many amazing Albertans. Given the significant numbers and the importance of the honour, we are sharing a list here of the physicians who have received the award. We congratulate these outstanding colleagues and welcome additions to the list if you are aware of a physician on whom the medal will be bestowed.

Election issue 4: Rural health care

April 21, 2023

PRESIDENT'S LETTER: The latest issue in our Handle with Care election information program is Rural Health Care. Pick almost any topic in health care and you will find the environment is more complicated or resources more scarce in rural settings. It’s the nature of rural medicine but it’s more difficult than ever right now.

AMA President-Elect 2023-24 acclamation

April 21, 2023

Dr. Shelley Duggan has been acclaimed to the position of Alberta Medical Association President-Elect for 2023-24. Dr. Duggan will assume the President-Elect role at the close of the 118th AMA AGM. Member login required to view Dr. Duggan’s CV.

JPAC Gratitude Program

April 20, 2023

PRESIDENT'S LETTER: The Joint Physician Advocacy Committee seeks to understand member issues in practice and advises the AMA on our advocacy activities. JPAC has found that while there are many things that physicians need as professionals, we also have needs as individuals.

Election issue 3: Pediatric mental health still poor

April 11, 2023

PRESIDENT'S LETTER: The third issue of the AMA’s election information campaign is Pediatric Mental Health. This care deficit issue deserves a lot of attention.

AHS payments need consistency and structure

April 6, 2023

PRESIDENT'S LETTER: The AMA Agreement package includes an AMA-Alberta Health Services Memorandum of Understanding with an Engagement Framework for physician compensation in AHS facilities. The AMA has been advocating for this approach, including: consistent, transparent principles; structure that guides policy according to system objectives; clear roles and responsibilities; physician engagement; and dispute resolution.

Year one allocation complete; new SOMB posted

April 3, 2023

PRESIDENT'S LETTER: Alberta Health sent a bulletin today letting physicians know that the year one allocation has been completed and a new Schedule of Medical Benefits has been issued. These changes are already reflected in the AMA’s Fee Navigator® and we’ve put together background information, including a short video, about the allocation process.

Election issue 2: Health Human Resources

March 31, 2023

PRESIDENT'S LETTER: Last week we launched our pre-election information program to help keep health care front and center during the election. There are seven main issues that are important to physicians and their patients. Today we release the second issue: Health Human Resources. We conclude with three key questions for candidates and political parties to answer.

Members react re CaRMS

March 30, 2023

PRESIDENT'S LETTER: I’ve received many emails from members regarding the first round CaRMS results.

2022 Medical Liability Reimbursement top-up payments

March 27, 2023

PRESIDENT'S LETTER: I am writing to share with you information about the 2022 Medical Liability Reimbursement top-up payments that will be issued shortly by Alberta Health.

CaRMS numbers alarming

March 27, 2023

PRESIDENT'S LETTER: The first round CaRMS numbers from last week are alarming. We have 42 unmatched family medicine residency positions in Alberta. In BC there are two; in Saskatchewan, none.

Election program launches today

March 24, 2023

PRESIDENT'S LETTER: Today we launch a public information program to help ensure that health care remains front and center for Albertans in the coming provincial election. We hope it will help them to consider their own expectations from the system. We will be communicating via website and social media and to members via President’s Letters.

2022-23 CME Program now open

March 23, 2023

PRESIDENT'S LETTER: The 2022-23 Continuing Medical Education Program provides a benefit of $2,200 per physician and is administered by the AMA. This program reimburses CME expenses incurred between April 1, 2022, and March 31, 2023.

MAPS virtual session

March 17, 2023

PRESIDENT'S LETTER: Government is moving forward with the Modernizing Alberta’s Primary Health Care System (MAPS) initiative. The AMA is fortunate to have strong representation from physician leaders in the work that is being done. Further announcements are expected soon.

Post-RF update

March 15, 2023

PRESIDENT'S LETTER: The Representative Forum held a productive two-day meeting March 10 and 11 in Calgary. Read more about the major topics discussed.

Anti-Indigenous bias

March 6, 2023

PRESIDENT'S LETTER: Following media reports on a study that identified explicit anti-Indigenous bias among some Alberta physicians, I have released a statement.

The crisis is not over

March 3, 2023

PRESIDENT'S LETTER: Members have commented about a recent media event with the Premier, Minister of Health and Alberta Health Services Official Administrator. At this public relations event the OA outlined progress on his mandated tasks relating to reduced surgical wait times, emergency room wait times and emergency medical services response times.

Budget response

March 1, 2023

PRESIDENT'S LETTER: Yesterday’s budget includes new funds for a health care system under stress, but it is difficult to determine how much.

Health care in the provincial budget and election

February 27, 2023

PRESIDENT'S LETTER: The two major parties have both released statements about primary health care. Polling suggests that health care will dominate the general election (May 29 or earlier) and the provincial budget (Tuesday, February 28).

ARP retro payments

February 24, 2023

PRESIDENT'S LETTER: There is a new Alberta Health Bulletin regarding 2022-23 retroactive payments for physicians in clinical alternative relationship plans, Academic Medicine Health Services Program, sessional clinical alternative relationship plans and Blended Capitation Model. Each category has a payment schedule that is explained in the bulletin.

MAPS announcement first reaction

February 21, 2023

PRESIDENT'S LETTER: Government has announced short-term proposals from the Modernizing Alberta’s Primary Health Care System (MAPS) initiative and funding for primary care in the provincial budget.

Board thoughts about MAPS

February 20, 2023

PRESIDENT'S LETTER: The MAPS initiative, an Alberta Health initiative involving numerous professions and organizations, is progressing. I thank the expert physician leaders who have worked for months to develop AMA proposals to improve the primary care system.

How does the system work?

February 10, 2023

PRESIDENT'S LETTER: The Joint Physician Advocacy Committee advises the Alberta Medical Association about our public advocacy. They have suggested that the AMA should tell the public more about how the system works, what’s happening and how physicians contribute.

Federal funding announcement

February 8, 2023

PRESIDENT'S LETTER: Yesterday the federal government announced a proposed new health funding framework with the provinces and territories, prioritizing primary care, health workforce wellness, health human resources and innovation toward sustainability.