Funds flowing to Alberta – Well Doc Alberta is first initiative under CMA-AMA MOU

March 12, 2019

Dear Members:

In our February 21 joint President’s Letter, we announced that the Alberta Medical Association (AMA) and Canadian Medical Association (CMA) established a new collaboration – outlined in a Memorandum of Understanding – to align activities and partner on joint initiatives that advance our shared priorities.

Today, we’re pleased to announce that Well Doc Alberta is the first initiative we will be supporting under the MOU. Through this initiative, Well Doc Alberta will receive an investment contribution of $1.6 million over three years from Scotiabank, in collaboration with MD Financial Management (MD) and the CMA.

Under the leadership of Dr. Jane Lemaire, and with the support of the University of Calgary, the existing Well Doc Alberta initiative will expand its reach and generate new resources to address physician burnout. Well Doc Alberta, working collaboratively with the AMA Physician and Family Support Program, provides a unique pan-provincial approach to physician wellness, connecting wellness programs and organizations at the provincial and national levels.

Through the Well Doc initiative, Dr. Lemaire and her team have developed more than a half-dozen training modules on issues such as nutrition, coping strategies and bio-feedback for stress and resilience. Dr. Lemaire delivers about 25 presentations per year that include these modules, as well as workshops about the team’s wellness research and initiatives. The end goal is always the same: improving physician wellness at the individual and system level.

Well Doc Alberta hosted its 2019 symposium earlier today and following a panel presentation, which included representatives from AMA and the PFSP, Dr. Lemaire made the funding announcement to the more than 200 symposium participants. “This is just incredible for us because with this financial support, not only can we provide training, we can change culture,” said Dr. Lemaire.

The AMA has had a long-standing financial services alliance with MD that continues to provide Alberta physicians with a broad range of investment, financial and insurance products. We’re pleased that resources made available through the Scotiabank and CMA affinity agreement will support important initiatives like Well Doc Alberta and strengthen that relationship even further. This initiative is the first in a series of meaningful contributions Scotiabank, MD and CMA will make to Canada’s medical profession as part of its 10-year affinity agreement.

We recognize the importance of advancing physician wellness, and supporting Well Doc Alberta as our first joint initiative is an exciting step as we move forward to tackle the issues that matter to you.

• Email us at the addresses listed below, if you would like to receive a reply;
• Share your perspectives with colleagues on the AMA member-only Discussion Board (member login required) or with CMA at YourVoice@cma.ca.
• Comment publicly below on this President’s Letter.

Warm regards,

Dr. Alison M. Clarke, AMA President
president@albertadoctors.org

Dr. F. Gigi Osler, CMA President
gigi.osler@cma.ca