Decisions about our health system move quickly, and physicians must be part of the conversations that shape what comes next. Now more than ever, we encourage physician members across specialties to join an AMA committee. Applications close May 29.
Read the May 22 President’s Letter
Over the past several months, many of you have raised important questions about what expanded dual practice could mean for patients, physicians and the future of our publicly funded health care system — especially since Bill 11 (Health Statutes Amendment Act, 2025 (No. 2)) was introduced.
An update on self-referred private pay diagnostic imaging and screening laboratory services and to encourage members to attend an upcoming information session on youth proxy access through MyHealth Records.
Dr. Brian Wirzba provides updates on three important areas of work underway at the AMA.
Reminder to complete the current AMA Pulse Survey regarding Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) and the proposed Bill 18, the Last Resort Termination of Life Act.
Below you will find previous issues of The President's Letter. For older issues no longer on the website, contact us.
We were pleased to see the Alberta Health Bulletin issued earlier today announcing that enhanced virtual care codes for mental health services provided are now live.
The situation in family and rural medicine isn’t just bad – it's dire. That’s what I told reporters earlier today at a news conference we held to share the results of last week’s survey of family and rural generalist physicians regarding the state of their practices and finances.
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.
As you know, we’ve been advocating intensely and continuously to stabilize family and rural generalist practices in Alberta. I also promised you that there would be more information coming about AMA proposals to government to address the parallel crisis in acute care.
The AMA has been advocating ceaselessly for virtual code changes to be implemented as promised under our agreement. Our mental health system is in deep and increasing distress. Making it possible for physicians to provide a broader scope of virtual care to these patients is not only logical, it’s essential.
There are two things I wanted you to see before 2023 comes to an end.
This afternoon I joined Minister of Health Adriana LaGrange and Premier Danielle Smith at a news conference to announce that government will apply $100 million to immediate stabilization of family and rural generalist physician practices.
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.
Our AMA agreement includes a letter of commitment for restoration of Good Faith claims, but the terms were not something that physicians could live with. Between the burdensome manual process and gaps in coverage for patients, it just wasn’t going to fly.
AMA members are fully behind our fierce advocacy for primary care and our efforts to save and support family physician and rural generalist clinics. Everyone agrees the system has no future without this foundation.