Kathryn Andrusky Profile picture
Family Physician
Dr Norlaine Thomas (She/Her) Profile picture GJG Profile picture 2 subscribed
Apr 26, 2020 5 tweets 4 min read
Are you KIDDING me??? Here is yet ANOTHER example of @shandro messing with things he does NOT at all understand nor should change on his own. Yes, he has UNILATERALLY eliminated multiple rural communities from the Rural Remote program and “announced” it on the AB Health website. NO consultation (or notification beyond a website Bulletin) with docs or AMA; no evaluation of community or patient needs; no “sober second though”, just Removed. Oh but, he WILL consult MLA’s on community eligibility. So now partisan politics chooses which communties get docs??
Apr 25, 2020 15 tweets 6 min read
Through 6 mos of @shandro attacking docs, I keep reflecting on Alice in Wonderland... fallen into chaos where the absurd is now the reality and what was “known” is now upside-down. Let’s take a step “through the looking glass” into the #shanarchy that’s now AB docs’ “reality”: 👇 First, a step back to where we were & could/should’ve been: AMA’s “contract” (Master Agreement) was due for re-negotiation by Mar 31, 2020. AMA & gov’t have HAD ++contentious negotiations before but both groups have always managed to push through to Partner on system improvement.
Apr 16, 2020 16 tweets 5 min read
There is NO doubt COVID is a nightmare, so why are AB docs being torn in multiple directions fighting with gov’t? If it were just financial, unlike @shandro, docs could wait until post-pandemic. But the Nightmare goes FAR beyond the finances: welcome to AB docs’ “Elm Street” 👇 1) Lack of Fair Process - aka Good Faith, which Every worker has rights to.

a) Bill 21 - introduced PRIOR to AMA negotiations even started; gov’t preemptively gave Cabinet supposed authority to unilaterally end negotiations/mediation & tear up AMA’s active contract on Feb 20.
Apr 10, 2020 19 tweets 6 min read
If a certain Premier can *decide* to be an Epidemiologist-for-a-day, I figure I can take a crack at being an Economist. A lot of “party line” misinformation is still being circulated by @shandro et al. Docs’ concerns are about MUCH more than money, but Facts are still impt: 👇 Myth 1: AB doc pay is 35% higher than comparable provinces

Fact: CIHI “small print” warns against using data out of context & NOT to compare. Adjusting for ALL types of payment (not just Fee-For-Service); differences in specialist:GP numbers; incldg ALL comparable prov = 16.6%
Apr 5, 2020 25 tweets 8 min read
There’s still a lack of public awareness re. @shandro’s actions (not the #shantrums, the cuts & control of our health-care).

Albertans: you need to KNOW about what is going on & pls WRITE to your local newspapers to shine a spotlight on this.

As it is absolutely terrifying. 👇 1) Bill 21 - PRIOR to negotiations with docs, was introduced by AB gov’t. Allows the Minister to tear up the AMA contract solely upon 1 vote of Cabinet. No notice beforehand, no opposition or debate, no media/public awareness. ++bad faith; & an alarming precedent for all workers.
Apr 4, 2020 5 tweets 2 min read
Shandro: “If these physicians chose to voluntarily give up their privileges, we will immediately bring in replacement physicians to provide those services.”

Minister: pls advise where you will FIND these replacement physicians. EVERY AB doc is scrambling to cope under your cuts. Today, I have seen/reviewed letters from docs in MULTIPLE towns and MULTIPLE specialties, preparing to advise AHS of the exact same thing. Due to YOUR cuts, many docs cannot afford to support their community clinics & work for 30% less in hospitals. We TOLD you this would occur.
Apr 1, 2020 7 tweets 3 min read
Fellow Albertans: it is bad enough that @shandro misled people into believing he held the 30+% cuts to docs. This was NOT TRUE & he proceeded to invoke 13.5 of 15 of them yest. But the sheer power grab by @jkenney and @shandro is MUCH worse than that and Albertans need to know: - Bill 21 gave Cabinet the authority to end ANY negotiated contract upon one closed door vote by Cabinet. No media, no opposition, no public. They plop it on a Cabinet agenda, publicize it on their website... and a negotiated contract for ANY gov’t contracted worker is voided.
Mar 20, 2020 18 tweets 7 min read
I’ve had DM’s from people asking what cuts @shandro is STILL barging ahead with on April 1 despite a pandemic. This thread attempts to summarize ALL the remaining cuts @GoAHealth is threatening for docs. Some remain huge ??’s, thus why income for clinics in 12 days is UNKNOWN. 👇 1) Complex modifiers - the #10minutemedicine problem. Docs want to spend TIME providing thorough and quality care to pts, and the 15-24 min modifier @shandro targeted is a sweet spot btwn access & comprehensiveness. On HOLD for now as limp attempt to assuage +*public/doc protests
Mar 6, 2020 4 tweets 2 min read
Ok, MLA @TanyYao, let’s get actual facts out there:
1) the cap is 50 services, not patients. >200 services are included so 22 pt appts is irrelevant. This means phone and e-communications, family or team conferences, calls from nursing homes, etc. (/1)

mymcmurray.com/2020/03/05/mla… 2) BC capped at 65 for 4 specific types of appts only (i.e. not calls, conferences, etc). Apples to oranges. @shandro plans to also include time modifiers as separate “services” so an appt lasting 30 minutes would be 3-4 services (still not entirely clear per @GoAHealth)
(/2)