A new president's thoughts on the year ahead

September 25, 2018

Dear Members:

My year as president-elect flew by and on Saturday I assumed the position of president of the Alberta Medical Association. I wanted to share just a few thoughts as I begin my term.

At the AMA offices, they have two walls of photographs of previous AMA presidents stretching back 113 years (see photo below of the most recent presidents). It is something to see. It represents the history of medicine in Alberta. I think of how much things have changed since those early days. I think of how physicians have been the leaders in that change. I think of how the Alberta Medical Association has been that body that endeavors to listen to all physician voices and unify us in change.

Anyone who spends time at our Representative Forum will be impressed by the collegiality, expertise and professional insight of this body. This past meeting September 21 and 22 was no exception. The Board is fortunate to be guided by such an outstanding group of physician leaders.

While we recognize these leaders, though, there are thousands of members out there who have never served in a formal leadership role. They go to work every day, they practice medicine, they care for patients and they do what is required to ensure their patients get the care they need. They would not necessarily think of themselves as leaders, or health care advocates, or patient champions. But they are. The AMA vision of a high performing health care system requires their efforts too.

It is time we recognize the importance of these contributions. This year, I would like to turn the spotlight on those physicians. It is time to shine a light on every physician who is making a change: on the rural physician who is spearheading work to improve community palliative care; on the specialist going out of her way to ensure the patient she sees is handed safely back to the family physician and integrated into the medical home; on the clinic physician reorganizing their office to provide evening hours and urgent appointments. There are so many more examples I could list.

This year, I’d like to give the people of Alberta a chance to know about all the amazing things that are happening in health care here — and how a lot of it is done by physicians who are “just doing their job.” I’d like more physicians to be able to recognize their own leadership and for the AMA to offer them chances to grow as leaders.

So, here’s my invitation starting today. If you have a story about good things happening in your practice, let me know. If you know of a colleague doing something innovative, let me know. The AMA should be the place where our accomplishments can be recognized and applauded. I look forward to the stories we will hear and the leadership we can develop.

I will write to you again soon about some of the issues that were successfully discussed and debated at the Representative Forum. There are exciting opportunities emerging to allow us to close some of the gaps between primary and secondary care and build a more integrated health care system for our patients. There are new trends in informatics, communication and data that will inform us and challenge us. There will be, undoubtedly, continuing severe fiscal challenges in our province and physicians will continue to do our part as stewards and leaders.

On this first week of my term in office, I thank the membership for allowing me the privilege of serving you. I look forward to getting to know you better in the year ahead.

You can reach me in the following three ways:

• Communicate with me privately and directly by email if you would like a reply: president@albertadoctors.org  
• Comment publicly below on this President’s Letter.
• Share your perspectives with colleagues in our Discussion Board for members only (member login required).

Warm regards,

Alison M. Clarke, MD, CCFP, FCFP
President