In December we presented government with our Acute Care Stabilization Proposal, a framework solution that cuts across the system aligning payment models and incentives while stabilizing acute patient care allowing Alberta to be competitive in physician retention and recruitment. Government has not yet responded to this solution-focused framework. Meanwhile, we see more evidence every day of the collapse that we have been warning about for years. albertadoctors.org/make-a-differe…

Many members are extremely concerned that they are ineligible for the Transitional Funding Program that began yesterday. Unfortunately, the TFP is not available to family or rural generalist practices with panels of under 500 patients. albertadoctors.org/services/media… Smaller panels can exist due to many reasons including geographic location, patient complexity and unique demographics. They are also a result of physicians in financially strained practices reducing full-time comprehensive care to part-time while providing other services.

Yesterday, new funding first announced in October 2023 was released by government to the AMA. In yesterday’s news release, I was quoted: “We appreciate the ongoing discussions with the minister and the funds that are being announced. This and the federal funding will, when paid out, be a down payment to help stabilize physician practices.

In February the government will introduce its budget for the 2024-25 fiscal year, and we are working to ensure that commitments they have made to support family medicine and rural generalists form part of the priorities that are included in that budget.
🧵1/13 Intense work is underway under our Memorandum of Understanding, and the Board has committed every necessary AMA resource.
2/13

The Representative Forum meeting last weekend included a candid session with Minister of Health Adriana LaGrange. The minister addressed the RF and then took questions from the delegates. She made several announcements: 1/7 - AMA requested amendments to virtual care mental health care codes will be implemented.
- Good faith claims (for services provided in AHS facilities) will use the same claims submission process that existed prior to 2020. 2/7

Statement from the AMA’s Indigenous Health Committee:

The AMA Indigenous Health Committee (IHC) has learned of the resignation of Dr. Esther Tailfeathers from her role as Senior Medical Director, Provincial Indigenous Wellness Core, AHS. 1/8 Dr. Tailfeathers is a member of the IHC, a highly respected member of our community and a prominent advocate for Indigenous health. The circumstances that led to her resignation have raised questions from the IHC including Indigenous physicians and community members. 2/

/1 In his Alberta Doctors’ Digest column, ‘In a different vein,’ Dr. Alexander H.G. Paterson describes his experience with artificial intelligence/machine learning, specifically #ChatGPT. /2 “On behalf of readers of Alberta Doctors Digest (and as a computer-averse holdout), I sat for three hours each day over three days examining this phenomenon.

1/7 Yesterday @CMAJ published a report predicting that summer will likely be "precarious and exhausting" for health-care workers in emergency departments... iheartradio.ca/newstalk-1010/… 2/7 ...with impacts ranging from lengthy wait-times to hospital closures as staffing shortages and patient surges put a strain on medical resources. We sincerely thank Alberta's emergency department teams who are going above and beyond as they face these challenges.

Removing masking mandates in hospitals and facilities has happened in other provinces. Some infectious disease specialists see this as a reasonable time to consider such a move. 1/4 As always, follow the evidence. We know that COVID is still with us. It is a particular threat to the frail, elderly and immunocompromised. Everyone should feel free to wear a mask or to ask another individual to wear one for their protection. 2/4

Fact One: Our hospitals continue to be overloaded.
Fact Two: Our health care team members are worn out & burnt out from making do for too long in situations they never signed up for.
Fact Three : Too few Albertans are seeking immunization.
Fact Four: This is a bad combination. If you need the emergency department, come! But wouldn’t you rather not have to go? You can’t always control the things that make you sick, but you can control this. Immunization & boosters when you are eligible remain your best defence against serious illness & hospitalization.

Today the Supreme Court of the United States struck down the landmark Roe vs. Wade ruling. 1/10 albertadoctors.org/services/media…
#RoeVsWade #RoeOverturned While we have anticipated this possibility with dread, the actual overturning of this decades-old jurisprudence decision on abortion is much worse for women of our neighbouring nation. 2/

Op Ed from AMA, sections of Family Medicine and Rural Medicine and Specialty Care Alliance:
We represent more than 13,000 AMA physician members who see firsthand the impact these delays in care are having on patients. #CareDeficit 1/5 edmontonjournal.com/opinion/column… While our health system faced many challenges before the pandemic, over the past 2.5 years COVID-19 has further delayed and reduced access to care across the entire health care system. 2/5

I wrote a few days ago to report on the May 13-14 Representative Forum and made three key points:

1. RF delegates passionately agreed that Alberta’s health care, already over-stretched, is in crisis under the onslaught of COVID and the care deficit.

albertadoctors.org/services/media… 1/15 2. We must, therefore, increase our advocacy with patients and system partners about the challenges we face. 2/

The AMA & @ABFamDocs are proud to celebrate Family Doctor Day, which occurs annually on May 19. First declared by @WoncaWorld in 2010, #WorldFamilyDoctorDay recognizes the outstanding contributions of family doctors in health care systems worldwide. albertadoctors.org/news/world-fam… This year's #WorldFamilyDoctorDay theme, 'Family Doctors, Always There to Care' reflects the steadfast dependability Alberta’s physicians have demonstrated throughout the past two years of uncertainty—on the front line, in times of need, delivering 80% of care in our communities.

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. 1/20

albertadoctors.org/services/media… 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. 2/

At the Alberta Medical Association’s Fall Representative Forum, a motion was put forth endorsing the decriminalization of drug use and possession of substances for personal use, and advocates for access to wellness supports. It was passed unanimously. (1/6) Yesterday the City of Edmonton discussed requesting an exemption from the federal Controlled Substances Act, so that people caught in minor possession within city boundaries will not be subject to criminal charges. Other 🇨🇦 municipalities are exploring similar approaches. (2/6)

Recent statistics showing the unvaccinated being admitted to 🇨🇦 hospitals and intensive-care units in numbers similar to the fully vaccinated, have bolstered the inaccurate claims of the vaccine resistant that there’s no point in getting vaccinated. (1/6) nationalpost.com/health/what-ho… In truth, the data actually demonstrates the protective effect of vaccinations. (2/6) #ShotofHope #BacktheVax

Discussions between the Alberta Medical Association and government are entering a new stage and a joint statement will be issued today. 1/6

albertadoctors.org/images/ama-mas…

albertadoctors.org/services/media… Our ability to reach this point meant first addressing a number of matters that I’ve written to you about, e.g., virtual code changes (January 7), stipend programs delay (December 10) and Z-code and Alberta Health Services overhead policy (December 3).
2/

The Court of Appeal of Alberta’s decision to hear an emergency appeal over new rules that would require supervised #ConsumptionSites to ask clients for personal health care numbers is an important development. edmontonjournal.com/news/local-new… #harmreduction #opioidscrisis The new rules are scheduled to take effect on January 31, 2022 and the expedited appeal hearing is planned for January 27 at 10 a.m. Alberta’s doctors will be watching with interest to see how this issue unfolds in the courts.

🧵regarding free and for purchase PPE:

There are a lot of places community clinics can access free & for purchase personal protective equipment (PPE). This thread contains a summary of the different options available. (1/9) AHS is distributing select PPE to primary care physicians, pediatricians & staff at no-cost until February 28, 2022, as per the process outlined here: albertahealthservices.ca/assets/info/pp…. This includes medical grade KN95 masks, face shields & gowns & does NOT include cleaning products. (2/9)

On July 28, Alberta Health announced significant changes in the public health measures for #COVID19. I have written to the Minister regarding my concerns, and I want to share these points with you.
🧵or view on our website:
albertadoctors.org/services/media… The pace at which public health measures are ending is troubling. I do not disagree that moving from pandemic state to endemic state is the future but would strongly advocate for a less precipitous approach.