We are the AMA - Alberta Medical Association

costs are being offset by the availabilityof additional full color advertising space.Podcast versions of Digest feature articlesare available on the AMA website.Flood supportFollowing the devastating fires in Slave Laketwo years ago, a disaster recovery plan wasestablished for affected physicians there. Weworked with Alberta Health (AH) and AlbertaHealth Services (AHS) for some interim incomesupport during practice disruption. The AMAalso waived its annual membership dues.We have taken similar steps for membersmost affected by the flooding this summer.Specifically, we are using the boundaries of theprovincial state of emergency zone establishedby the government around the High Rivercommunity. Physicians in that disaster zone:• Will be guaranteed 80% of their grossbillings (based on fees billed last year), forthe first 120 days after the flood and thismay be extended further. I thank PremierRedford and Minister Horne for their fastresponse to this obvious need.• AMA membership dues for 2013-14 will bewaived for these members.In the first few days of the flood, the AMAalso helped to connect physicians who wereout of home with temporary accommodations.Over 100 physicians offered up their homes inthe first 48 hours – a heartwarming display ofcollegiality that was so very much appreciated.TD Insurance Meloche Monnex89. Our AMA membership has a high enrolmentrate for TD Insurance Meloche Monnex(TDIMM) products. In fact, 5,800 memberscarry TDIMM products, which representsover half of our entire membership. TDIMMis endorsed by the AMA. This arrangement isscheduled for a review because we are at themid-point in our 10-year exclusive contract.This planned review is underway and wasdiscussed at the board. We have establishedan advisory group to conduct our portionof the review. Member feedback will besought, and all recent experiences – positiveand negative – will be shared and discussedin detail, including with respect to the floodrecovery from the recent flooding in southernAlberta. We have heard directly from over80 AMA members specifically on this issue.The AMA will be thorough in our deliberationsand you will be further informed.Leadership and AHS90. The AMA is working with the CPSAand AHS to explore development ofleadership and advocacy training forAlberta physicians. The steering committeealso includes a ZMSA representative,Dr. Fredrykka Rinaldi. We have hireda consultant to define the advocacyprocess and produce navigational tools forphysicians who are advocating for theirpatients. In addition, the consultant willhold focus groups with physicians in eachof the zones to ascertain what leadershipskills physicians would like to see in sucha program and how they wish to havethe instruction delivered. The consultant’sreport is due for presentation in October.91. In further leadership development activities,the AMA is also assisting the CMA onits leadership development program.The CMA has contracted the services of24