November 13, 2025

In this issue: 

• Optimized Prescribing with Seniors: Goals of Care
• Vote for Zonal/Regional RF Delegates by December 10
• The AMA's Uninsured Services Guide has been updated for 2025
• Alberta Electronic Health Record (Alberta Netcare Portal) Modernization
• Make your voice heard with Report My Story
• TD Insurance AMA Medical Student Bursary: Applications now open!
• Apply for Health Quality Alberta's Patient Experience Awards
• New webinar: Leveraging Group Medical Visits to Enhance Care Delivery
• PCA updates
  • Ammonia testing update for Fort Vermillion, High Level and La Crete
  • D-Dimer testing update for Fort Vermillion, High Level and La Crete
• MD Financial
  • The ultimate guide to financing your medical school education
• Community Connections
  • Your perspective on Alberta's Compassionate Intervention Act
  • Help remove barriers for internationally trained physicians

Optimized Prescribing with Seniors:

Goals of Care

Issue
As Canada’s population ages, patients are living longer with complex chronic conditions. Goals of Care Designations (GCDs) are medical orders that help guide appropriate levels of intervention by aligning clinical recommendations with patient wishes. These designations support individualized prescribing and ensure that care remains consistent with a patient’s values, especially as health status evolves.
 

Optimized Prescribing with Seniors is a joint communication of the Alberta Medical Association and the College of Physicians & Surgeons of Alberta. Articles are written by physicians for physicians prescribing in the care of older patients.

Vote for Zonal/Regional RF Delegates

by December 10

Elections are underway for Calgary and Edmonton Zonal/Regional Delegates.
 

Electronic voting opened November 7 and will close at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, December 10.
 

If you are a member of one of these zones and haven’t yet voted, please do so (AMA member login required).

The AMA's Uninsured Services Guide

has been updated for 2025

The AMA’s 2025 Uninsured Services Guide is now available to members on the AMA website. To support physicians and their teams, we have also updated two companion resources:

• A pull-out guide on Transfer of, and Access to, Medical Records.
• A patient-facing poster for clinic waiting rooms to help patients understand what uninsured services are and why fees apply.

Important note: Access to the Uninsured Services Guide is restricted to members (login required). While the AMA provides guidance on establishing fees, we do not set them. Most rates in the guide are suggested only and may vary by clinic or physician. Where indicated, the guide also includes government-legislated and agreed-upon rates that cannot be changed.

Alberta Electronic Health Record (Alberta Netcare Portal) Modernization

Starting October 21, 2025, updates to the Health Information Act expand how you can use Alberta Netcare Portal (ANP).
 

You may now use Netcare information for patient care, service eligibility, quality improvement, investigations and certain education and research purposes.
 

If you are applying as a new custodian, you must meet updated requirements: demonstrate privacy and ethical standards through your regulatory college, implement organizational safeguards, complete a Privacy Impact Assessment and comply with technical and security standards. 
 

There will be a new Access to Alberta Netcare Declaration. Custodians must accept the declaration the first time they login (after activation on December 1st) and in future if substantial changes are made to the declaration. Acceptance is mandatory to access ANP. Acceptances will be logged for accountability. 
 

Support: 

eHealth Services Provider Support: 1-855-643-8649 (eligibility, technical, access issues) 
 

HIA Help Desk: hiahelpdesk@gov.ab.ca or 780-427-8089 (compliance, regulatory questions) 

Make your voice heard with Report My Story

As physicians, your frontline experiences are vital to shaping a stronger health care system.
 

The Alberta Medical Association’s Report My Story text line gives you a secure, simple way to share what you’re seeing in real time.
 

If you witness a gap in patient care or see the system falling short of what patients need, text 587-401-9591.
 

No app download required—just save the number for quick access.
 

Your stories help illustrate the real-world impacts of system strain and fuel the AMA’s advocacy for meaningful change. 

TD Insurance AMA Medical Student Bursary: Applications now open!

We’re pleased to invite applications for the TD Insurance Meloche Monnex/AMA Medical Student Bursary.
 

Application Deadline: Monday, January 5, 2026 (at midnight)
 

What’s New This Year?

We’ve made some changes to the bursary structure:

• 50% of the awards will be granted to students with the highest debt levels, each receiving a $3,000 bursary.
• The remaining 50% will be randomly selected from eligible applicants, with each receiving a $1,000 bursary.
• All awards are based on financial need, and applicants must demonstrate a minimum debt of $10,000 to qualify.

Have questions or need assistance? Contact Georgina Welch

Apply for Health Quality Alberta's

Patient Experience Awards

Health Quality Alberta is accepting applications until November 17 for its annual awards program.
 

The Patient Experience Awards celebrate up to four initiatives or programs annually. Any team in Alberta involved in designing and implementing an initiative that promotes a positive patient experience in accessing or receiving health care services can apply or be nominated. The initiatives considered must have resulted in a positive impact on the patient experience.
 

Applications for the 2026 awards are accepted online, and close November 17. 
 

Read about past recipients

HQA is a provincial agency that brings together patients, families and partners from across health care and academia to inspire improvement in patient safety, person-centred care and health service quality.

New webinar: Leveraging Group Medical Visits to Enhance Care Delivery

Join Dr. Divya Garg and Dr. Emma Billington for an interactive workshop on November 27 or December 2.
 

Presenters will share practice-tested examples of the workflow developed for ‘Own Your Bones,’ an established bone health management program.
 

Explore how the program was developed and how it improved the delivery of group medical visits within the Patient’s Medical Home. 

Primary Care Alberta updates

The following PCA updates have been provided for your information: 

• Lab bulletins:
  • Ammonia testing update for Fort Vermillion, High Level and La Crete
  • D-Dimer testing update for Fort Vermillion, High Level and La Crete

The ultimate goal to financing your

medical school education

Sponsored article

Financing medical school can be challenging, but this MD Financial Management comprehensive guide provides all the information you need. Explore various funding options, including loans, scholarships and grants, to make your education more affordable.

Community Connections

Your perspective on Alberta’s Compassionate Intervention Act

A University of Alberta research team is inviting health care providers to share their thoughts on mandated addictions treatment. Please take a moment to complete the survey and share with your colleagues.

Help remove barriers for internationally trained physicians

The University of Calgary is conducting a study to better understand the challenges that internationally trained physicians face. Your input will help identify ways to support these physicians and enhance our health care system.
 

Who can participate?

• Patients who receive care from an internationally trained physician.
• Canadian medical graduates working with an internationally trained physician.
• Physicians trained outside of Canada.

Please take five minutes to complete this confidential survey.

Promoting a local charitable health-related event?
 

Recruiting physicians and medical learners for a medical study?
 

Seeking AMA member participation in a survey?
 

The AMA receives many requests to promote local events, research participation opportunities and surveys to our members. We consider all requests based on specific criteria and general relevance/appropriateness.
 

*Please note that, unless explicitly stated, the AMA is not associated with or responsible for items listed in Community Connections.

Upcoming events

2025 Urgent Care Conference

November 15
 

Artificial Intelligence Tools Checkup: Taking the Pulse on Your Practice Readiness

November 18
 

The Art of Communication in Health Care: Building Stronger Teams

November 25
 

H2H2H| Transitions in Care Talk: The complexity of supporting transitions in care for individuals experiencing homelessness

November 26

View all upcoming events on the AMA website

Have an event you'd like to promote?

Review our criteria and submit your event

Recognition Roundup

Addictions Awareness Week

November 16-22
 

Falls Prevention Month
 

Indigenous Disability Awareness Month

Recommend a special date

Last issue's top stories

ARTA Retiree Benefits Plan
 

Primary Care Alberta updates

In the November 13
MD Scope Classifieds
you'll find listings for:
 

- Physicians wanted

- Locums wanted

- For sale or lease
- Services

More AMA publications

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