Alberta’s health system is under extraordinary pressure. Physicians are feeling that pressure across the system, but the fundamental question for Albertans remains simple: can patients get the care they need, when they need it?
Primary care – The foundation we cannot afford to weaken
The AMA's second annual State of Health Care report shows Albertans are confident in the quality and skill of their physicians and health care teams, but have less confidence in the system's ability to provide timely access to care when and where it's needed.
Today, government announced a $172.3 million investment in physician compensation as part of the final year of the current Master Agreement (2022-26).
Last week, you should have received a link to complete the latest AMA Member Tracking Survey. I encourage you to take a few minutes to share your experience. Your feedback gives us timely insight into the realities you are facing in practice and helps ensure our advocacy, priorities and member support reflect what physicians are experiencing right now.
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.
Below you will find previous issues of The President's Letter. For older issues no longer on the website, contact us.
Today I am sharing a new issue in the Care Deficit Assessment Series. Issue 5 Dermatology is an interesting example of the care deficit manifesting in specialized care with the potential to affect many patients. To quote the contributors: “As with most health issues, early diagnosis of dermatology-related issues is key to determining the best possible treatment.”
Pediatric mental health has emerged as one of the primary concerns of the current care deficit. As colleagues who care for children tell us, these patients are distressed. Adding to that toll are the families and friends of unwell children who are their support networks, themselves dragged into stress, anxiety and ill health by the burden of caregiving.
We have kept the Representative Forum up to date on details of negotiations with government for a new agreement. Your leaders have heard that the interests-based approach to negotiations has allowed us some progress.
The biggest Connect Care launch to date (Wave 4) is happening on May 28, at sites in both the Edmonton and Calgary zones (for a list of specific sites that will be impacted, please visit the Connect Care Implementation Timeline).
I wrote to you a few days ago to report on the May 13-14 Representative Forum and made three key points.
The Representative Forum met Friday and Saturday (May 13-14) and received updates, deliberated and provided direction regarding government discussions and the Income Equity Initiative. We will have more to tell you on those fronts soon. Today, I want to share my overall impressions of what delegates had to tell the Board.
The Spring Representative Forum, Part Two will take place at the end of this week (May 13-14). The agenda includes the latest updates on negotiations toward a new agreement, as well as the Physician Compensation Strategy and Income Equity Initiative. We’ll hear from expert physician leaders on two critical topics: the opioid poisoning crisis and pediatric mental health. We’ll also discuss AMA advocacy plans for the upcoming weeks and months.
Today I am releasing a new topic in the AMA’s Care Deficit Assessment Series.
On Tuesday, April 5 we held a webinar to update members on the status of negotiations with Alberta Health for a new agreement. As promised, the presentation portion of the webinar was recorded (member login required) for those unable to attend.
As you know we have been continuing interest-based negotiations with government. I wrote to you on March 27 to advise that, based on recent conversations with Alberta Health, there would be no changes – planned or otherwise – to stipends come March 31.