We are advocating relentlessly

November 17, 2023

Dear Members,
 
The Local Doctors, Local Issues tour has allowed me to engage with hundreds of physicians across the province and I continue to be impressed by your passion and insight. Nearly 400 members joined our virtual town hall on Wednesday night. Members who were unable to attend can watch my presentation (member login required).

I have heard about the challenges facing physicians of every specialty and in every zone and I want to reassure you that your feedback, challenges and solutions are informing everything we are doing at the AMA. The urgent need to stabilize community-based family medicine and rural generalist care is vitally important, but we have a related and parallel challenge of capacity and reduced access in acute care. There are many questions about the changes announced for Alberta Health Services and what we will do together to keep the interests of physicians and patients front and center. I have seen and discussed with many of you the need for more physical infrastructure, whether in hospitals, labs or elsewhere in the system.

The tour has been a tremendous opportunity to be your voice and amplify your concerns through media, to the public and leaders at all levels of government. I have taken and will continue to take every opportunity possible (see the November media coverage list below). Advocacy has never been more important.

I look forward to upcoming meetings with local leaders and our November 23 stop in Medicine Hat. Many of you have reached out to organize group and site visits – thank you! If you have input that you have been unable to share, please email localissues@albertadoctors.org and I will try to connect with you.

Regards,

Paul Parks
President, Alberta Medical Association

---

Media Coverage November 1 - 16

AMA hopeful AHS overhaul is better for doctors and patients
Sherwood Park News (Print Edition) - November 16

Former Brooks physician to lead Alberta Health board
Brooks Bulletin - November 15

Medicine Hat doctor says input from frontline workers is crucial for Alberta's new health care system
CHAT News Today! - November 10

Controversial plan to restructure AHS sparks concern and opposition
Express Healthcare Management - November 10

AHS employees getting first details of new structure in series of town hall meetings
CTV News, Calgary - November 9

Provincial healthcare announcement separate issue from the immediate one at hand: AMA president
MyLloydministerNow - November 9

Provincial healthcare announcement separate issue from the immediate one at hand: AMA president
MyLethbridgeNow - November 9

Smith and UCP begin selling health care overhaul to supportive rural leaders, skeptical professionals
CTV News, Edmonton - November 9

Smith and UCP begin selling health care overhaul to supportive rural leaders, skeptical professionals
iHeartRadio - November 9

Nurses, doctors call on Alberta government to back down from health-care restructuring
CBC News, Calgary - November 9

Lack of physician coverage in rural areas among urgent needs: AMA president
MyGrandePriaireNow - November 9

Afternoons with Bryn Griffiths and Reid Wilkins
630 CHED - November 9

Dr. Paul Parks segment of Real Talk with Ryan Jesperson
Real Talk with Ryan Jespersen - November 9

Headlines: Nov 9, 2023
Taproot Edmonton - The Pulse - November 9

AMA President speaks to Sarah Galashan on CBC News Network's Canada Tonight regarding government's plans to restructure health care in Alberta
CBCNN Live - November 8

Alberta announces new health delivery system
CFWE FM - November 8

Doctors describe patients 'suffering' at Edmonton hospitals due to extraordinarily long wait times
iHeartRadio - November 8

How changes to Alberta's health system may impact its doctors
Canadian Healthcare Network - November 8

AMA hopeful AHS overhaul is better for doctors and patients
Calgary Herald - November 8

Restructuring of AHS must be done "responsibly and carefully" says AMA president
Everything GP - November 8

AMA hopeful AHS overhaul is better for doctors and patients
Edmonton Sun - November 8

Some Albertans and experts worried about public health restructuring, fear privatization
Global News - November 8

'Blow it up and sell pieces off': Stakeholders react to UCP plan to revamp Alberta healthcare system
CTV News Calgary - November 8

Alberta announces new health delivery system, promises to try to protect jobs
CTV News Edmonton - November 8

Alberta to dismantle current patient-care model, create new health delivery system
CBC News - November 8

Doctors describe patients 'suffering' at Edmonton hospitals due to extraordinarily long wait times
CTV News Edmonton - November 8

Doctors describe patients 'suffering' at Edmonton hospitals due to extraordinarily long wait times
Canada News - November 8

AMA president wants assurances about impact of health services restructuring
Lethbridge Herald - November 8

AMA president reacts to government's plans for health system reform
rdnews NOW - November 8

AMA hopeful AHS overhaul is better for doctors and patients
Edmonton Journal - November 8

AMA consulting with city stakeholders on health system
Lethbridge Herald - November 8

UCP vows to decentralize Alberta Health Services
City News - November 7

Doctors say 2 Edmonton hospitals at 150% capacity, experiencing very long ER waits
Global News - November 7

Fundamental change needed as Alberta health system is 'not working', minister says
CBC News - November 6

Commentary: Health care must remain top priority
MountainView Today - November 6

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith pushing AHS reform
Global News - November 5

AMA sounds alarm on state of healthcare system
City News - November 3

23 new family doctors recruited to work in Lethbridge
CTV News, Calgary - November 3

Medicine Hat physician voices concerns over health-care system's precarious state
CHAT News, Medicine Hat - November 3

Northern training for doctors one idea to solve specialist retention issues says AMA president
Everything GP - November 3

Without DynaLife, Alberta's lab wait times are decreasing: AMA
CTV Calgary - November 3

Alberta doctors 'trepidatious' about changes to already fragile health care system
Toronto Star - November 3

Dr. Paul Parks - Local Doctors, Local Issues November 2, 2023 media briefing
Alberta Medical Association - November 3

Alberta is in a family doctor crisis: AMA
City News - November 2

AMA pushing for "strategic investing" for physicians in cities like Grande Prairie
MyGrandePrairieNow - November 2

'Extremely fragile': AMA head says docs' funding model putting Alberta health care in jeopardy
Calgary Herald - November 2

Red Deer doctors struggling with overcapacity at hospital
Red Deer Advocate - November 2

Afternoons with Bryn Griffiths: interview with Paul Parks
630 CHED - November 2

Province-wide tour brings AMA president to Grande Prairie
Everything GP - November 1