September 16, 2025

In this issue:

Message from the SCA Chair
SCA Executive has two spots to fill
How the AMA is responding to health system change
Funding for surgical procedures: new TRACE Dashboard Working Group
CII adoption for specialists – go live, get funded
ACTT offerings: Fall webinars for physicians and teams

Message from the Chair

It has been a privilege to lead the SCA on behalf of all of you over the last two years. We worked really hard to solidify a unified voice for specialists within the AMA and to gain a voice in critical areas within Alberta’s restructured health care system.

The upcoming Specialty Care Forum will be critical as the SCA executive needs to fill two open positions (details below) to ensure we have adequate physician representation at appropriate tables. I strongly encourage individuals consider stepping forward for these important roles.

Over the last few months, we have done a tremendous amount of work with Connect Care. You will soon see the results of our survey and steps that the government and AHS will be taking to improve this infrastructure.

We have also established a voice for specialist physicians within various government committees that are dealing with critical issues like provincial referral structures, expansion of surgical capacity and funding for in-hospital and community procedures.

Critical to representing specialist physician interests, we seek to develop bi-directional and frequent communications with individual specialty sections to update members on our progress, but – equally as important – we also need to know about issues and concerns as they arise. Over the next few weeks (and at the Specialty Care Forum), you will get more details about improved communications channels and opportunities so that we can advocate appropriately with the AMA Board, government and other health care partners and stakeholders.

Dr. Bertus Eksteen, SCA Chair

SCA Executive has two spots to fill

Join the Specialty Care Alliance and help shape the future of health care in our province! With the massive restructuring that’s happening in our system, this work is more important than ever before. As the health system and the AMA itself continue to evolve, the SCA must represent the collective voice of specialty physicians. We are seeking two more executive members to actively represent the needs of SCA at various working group and committee tables. We’re seeking candidates who are particularly interested in engaging and communicating with specialty sections within the AMA.

As a member of the SCA you will:

Bring passion to drive meaningful change.
Have a voice in influencing critical decisions affecting specialty care physicians.
Collaborate with system leaders, external interest holders and primary care partners to create seamless integration.
Contribute to system-wide improvements that benefit all Albertans.
Move beyond individual section concerns and become part of a strategic alliance.

Together, we're not just treating patients, we're building a better health care system for everyone!

If you are a current RF delegate and are interested in joining SCA, elections will be held at the Fall Specialty Care Forum on Thursday, September 25 at 6:00 p.m. in Edmonton. Nominations or questions can be sent to specialtycarealliance@albertadoctors.org.

How the AMA is responding to health system change

Over the past two years, Alberta's health care system has fundamentally transformed. It now includes four pillars of care, seven regional health corridors, and a new hospital-based leadership structure.

The provincial health portfolio is divided into four ministries:

Primary and Preventative Health Services (Minister: Adriana LaGrange)
Mental Health and Addiction (Minister: Rick Wilson)
Hospital and Surgical Health Services (Minister: Matt Jones)
Assisted Living and Social Services (Minister: Jason Nixon)

Each ministry is supported by new agencies and governance models:

Primary Care Alberta
Recovery Alberta
Acute Care Alberta
Assisted Living Alberta

Three new provincial health corporations have been established to deliver specialized services:

Cancer Care Alberta – responsible for cancer treatment and services province-wide
Give Life Alberta – oversees organ and tissue donation and transplantation
Emergency Health Services Corporation (name to be finalized at time of writing) – focused on emergency medical services

These corporations operate under the relevant ministries and represent a shift toward more targeted, accountable service delivery across the health system.

Adapting to change

In July, the AMA unveiled a new organizational model to better serve its members and respond to the increasingly complex health care system. New medical director roles have been created, each aligned with a pillar of care, to serve as primary medical liaisons to government counterparts.

Each medical director will work with AMA sections, the Specialty Care Alliance, Primary Care Physician Alliance, and corridor-based leaders to ensure physician input in system design, integration, and policy development.

The AMA will establish five geographic governance specialists across the seven corridors (NW, NE, Edmonton, Central, Calgary, SW and SE) to serve as single points of contact for members. The AMA will also consult with members to improve regional representation and align with the new corridors.

A strategic, function-based model with a hub-and-spoke analytics area will leverage shared intelligence. The Innovation & Insights Hub will promote collaboration, knowledge sharing, and evidence-based decision-making.

This restructuring aims to ensure physician voices are heard and listened to at the various tables that will shape the future of our health care system.

Member-Only Town Hall – Proposed changes to AMA Rep Forum geographic structure

Wednesday, September 17 at 7:00 p.m.

Specialists are encouraged to attend the upcoming member-only town hall to learn more about proposed changes to the AMA's Representative Forum geographic structure.

This town hall will provide an opportunity to:

Learn about the proposed alignment with Alberta’s new health corridors and pillars
Understand how the changes may impact AMA governance and representation
Ask questions and share feedback
Flag any concerns prior to this item being tabled for further discussion and input at the Fall Representative Forum (September 26 – 27)

Funding for surgical procedures: new TRACE Dashboard Working Group (Hospital and Surgical Health Services)

Through considerable advocacy, the AMA has established the TRACE Dashboard Working Group with government to accurately measure the cost of surgical procedures in provincial centres and chartered surgical facilities.

We’ve had constructive meetings and, ultimately, this working group aims to generate good data with government to guide appropriate use of funds and expansion of surgical capacity to address our long wait lists. This is critical for many surgical specialties and will draw from individual sections as these discussions expand. Currently, we are discussing costs of procedures for ophthalmology and orthopedics. We will continue to keep members informed as things progress.

CII adoption for specialists – go live, get funded

Enroll in CII to receive $2000 from PPHS

Go live on Community Information Integration (CII) and take advantage of the Primary & Preventative Health Services Acceleration Grant. Enroll in CII this fall and receive up to $2000 in funding for implementation time and administration requirements incurred during the first three months of participation.

CII is a hassle-free technology that allows physicians to send community consult letters directly from their private office EMR to Alberta Netcare. CII aims to improve patient care by sharing reports with providers, increasing continuity of care when patients visit the emergency department, consult other specialists or change family doctors.

CII is the future of improved integration for community clinics, with future enhancements and integration being co-designed with physicians. Explore CII eligibility and enroll before funding runs out - contact CIICPAR@albertadoctors.org to get started!

For more information, explore AMA-ACTT's CII for Specialists webpage.

ACTT offerings: Fall webinars for physicians and teams

Digital Health Innovation Series with Jo Salter
Friday, October 3 at 12:00 p.m.

Are you ready for the future of health care? This Fall, we invite specialty care and primary care physicians to attend our new Digital Health Innovation Series, helping you thrive in the chaos of transformation. With her signature warmth, wit and wisdom, guest speaker Jo Salter will deliver a timely dose of inspiration, drawing from her experience as the first female fast jet pilot in the Royal Air Force and Global Advisory Director of Generative AI at PricewaterhouseCoopers.

At the kick-off session, you’ll learn to flex your transformation muscles, break through the overwhelm of administrative burden and lead teams with curiosity and courage. REGISTER NOW

H2H2H Transitions in Care Talk: Supporting Safe Follow-up Care for Unattached Patients
Tuesday, September 23 at 12:00 p.m.

Specialists and teams, get ready for a new Transitions in Care Talk! Hosted by AMA-ACTT and presented by Primary Care Alberta, the fifth session in the ongoing series will explore innovative approaches from across the province that support timely follow-up care for unattached patients following hospital discharge. REGISTER TODAY

New PPIP webinars

Attend ACTT’s free PPIP webinars and complete your CPSA requirements in under 90 minutes. New session dates for Fall have been announced – explore topics and register today!

The Power of Teams: Navigating Scopes of Practice in Health Care Teams
Thursday, October 2 at 6:00 p.m. or Wednesday, October 29 at 7:30 a.m.

Explore the complex task of navigating scopes of practice across disciplines and unique settings within health care teams. Join the first session of our new Team Based Care Learning Series and walk away with validated tools to make teams more effective! REGISTER NOW