We are the AMA - Alberta Medical Association

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to improve communication and processesaround pharmacist prescribing. The intentwas to use the first meeting to buildconsensus for moving forward, but thatobjective has not yet been reached.59. The Board of Directors discussed how toaddress pharmacist prescribing and scopeof practice issues in general at the 2013board retreat in May. Resolutions relatingto scope of practice were tabled by Albertadelegates and passed at the CanadianMedical Association General Councilmeeting August 19-21 in Calgary.60. The College and Association of RegisteredNurses of Alberta has a proposal to expandthe scope of practice to allow registerednurses with extra training to prescribeSchedule One drugs, limited to theirdemonstrated expertise within a certaingeographic location. This expanded scopewould allow them to diagnose within thatscope of practice.61. We are still awaiting government’s decisionon a major proposal from optometryregarding an expansion to scope of practicefor that profession. The AMA made apresentation in late 2012 to the HealthProfessions Advisory Board to expressserious concerns about the safety andefficacy of the optometry proposals.Physician and Family Support Program andHealth Law Institute62. The AMA and the Physician and FamilySupport Program (PFSP) staff have beeninvolved in lengthy discussions with theCollege of Physicians & Surgeons ofAlberta (CPSA) on how to operationalizerecommendations arising from a June 2012report from the Health Law Institute (HLI).The HLI was retained by the parties to helpexplore and resolve difference of opinionwith respect to standards of practice aroundduty to report impairment. Members mayrecall that CPSA had proposed changing thestandards to require reporting of suspectedvs. demonstrated impairment for oneself ora colleague. While some issues have beenresolved, some outstanding issues remainaround logistics for a proposed review panel.We appreciate the ongoing dialogue.Other negotiations63. Groups of physicians and individuals cameto the AMA again this year seeking supportin various negotiations and contracts. Theassociation supported ongoing and newdiscussions for: cancer care physicians;laboratory physicians, physicians billingWorkers’ Compensation Board (WCB);Alberta Orthopedic Society and others.AMA staff also continue to assist withrequests from individual physicians toreview their individual service contracts.64. New agreements between the AlbertaSociety of Laboratory Physicians and AHS,and cancer care physicians and AHS, werecompleted, ratified and are now in place.AdvocacyHealth issues65. Health Issues Council (HIC) continuesto discuss and advance a variety ofhealth advocacy issues. Additionally, HICimplemented the second year of the Emerging20
67. We have continued to support Studentsfor Cell Phone Free Driving for educationalsessions in high schools.Scan to learn more aboutthe Emerging Leadersgrant program, or visit:www.albertadoctors.org/emerging-leadersLeaders In Health Promotion initiative. Thisprogram provides grants to medical studentsand residents for health advocacy initiatives.The goals are to: promote development ofthe physician’s role as advocate for healthypopulations; provide experience in healthpromotion as integral to medical practice; andfacilitate growth of leadership and advocacyskills in a mentored environment. For 2012‐13,seven projectsreceived funding.66. In a brand newinitiative, the AMApartnered withEver Active Schoolsto pilot an “AMAYouth Run Club” on a small scale this spring.This project is based on one operated verysuccessfully by Doctors Nova Scotia. The pilotwas extremely successful and will lead to moreinvolvement for the AMA in the coming year.Scan to learn moreabout the AMA YouthRun Club, or visit: www.albertadoctors.org/advocating/ama-youthrun-clubRefugee health68. Recent changes to the federal government’sprovision of health care coverage to refugeesin Canada have led to the current situationwhere approximately two-thirds of refugeeshave no health care coverage except whentheir medical condition poses a risk to publichealth or safety (e.g., tuberculosis). The AMAhas written to the federal minister responsibleasking him to reverse the decision. We havealso asked Alberta’s minister of health toextend coverage to these disadvantagedpeople. Information has been provided tophysicians via MD Scope newsletter on billingpractices for those refugee claimants who arecovered by Medavie Blue Cross.69. Media reports say a charter challenge byCanadian Doctors for Refugee Care andthe Canadian Association of RefugeeLawyers will be brought before the FederalCourt. The lawsuit will argue that the cutsto refugee care violate the fundamentalhuman rights of refugees.Indoor tanning70. The AMA is also assisting a coalition,“Indoor Tanning is Out,” which is lobbyingthe provincial government to introducelegislation to ban usage of artificial tanningfacilities to those under 18 years. Threeother provinces have already introducedsimilar legislation. The federal minister ofhealth has also released draft regulations,replacing labeling laws for tanning beds21
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Page 6: In MemoriamMembers deceased since t
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