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.
I have heard from a number of members who are concerned with potential implications for their clinics arising from the lifting of mandatory continuous masking. The public health order was maintained for Alberta Health Services, Covenant Health and long-term care facilities, but not for other clinical settings.
In this letter
In this letter:
In this letter:
As many of you are aware, as part of our advocacy and engagement with the public, we host an online patient community: albertapatients.ca. Through this forum we engage in dialogue with approximately 13,500 Albertans about health care issues in the province. Our latest survey, fielded May 19 to 27, asked our panel about their worries and priorities regarding their health care. We had more than 4,700 respondents and I want to share some of those results with you today.
News that the remains of 215 Indigenous children were discovered in a mass grave at a former residential school in Kamloops has drawn attention to a dreadful legacy of the residential school system. This is not an isolated incident: graves have been found at other former school sites, including in Alberta. The search for these is still incomplete.
As we come to the end of the 2021 Alberta Rural Health Week, I wanted to take the opportunity to add my voice to the celebration of rural health care in this province. As an urban physician and Albertan, I am indebted to the stellar health care teams who are part of the lifeblood and infrastructure of rural communities in our province.
This is to provide you with an update on several activities being undertaken by the Alberta Medical Association. These relate to our efforts regarding the compensation of physicians, the restoration of our relationship with government, the support of physicians during the pandemic and our engagement with members.
As you are aware, on May 13 government released a new public health order stipulating that medical exemptions for mask use will be allowed for a list of “verified health conditions,” and that an exemption letter will be required from a physician, nurse practitioner or psychologist.