June 12, 2026

In this issue: 

• Make your voice count: Complete the AMA Tracker Survey by June 17
• Congratulations to ADIUM Student Elective Travel Grant recipients
• Alberta Lighthouse Initiative now accepting expressions of interest
• Introducing the Quality Stewardship Committee
• Understanding RCMP Occupational Health processes
• Attend our Annualized cARP 101 webinar (AMA members only)
• Lend your expertise to the Out-of-Country Health Services Committee
• Join the AMA Committee on Financial Audit (COFA)
• Primary Care Alberta updates:
  • New clinical pathway for iron deficiency anemia
  • ACFP's Family Medicine Innovation Forum: call for innovations now open
  • Lab bulletin:
    • Provincial standardization on handling glucose-related tests based on patient fasting status
• MD Financial 
  • AI vs experience: Finding the right balance
• Community Connections
  • Health care providers: Help strengthen cancer screening in Alberta

Make your voice count: 

Complete the AMA Tracker Survey by June 17

If you haven’t completed the AMA's Tracker Survey yet, there’s still time! We have extended the deadline to June 17 at midnight.

Your feedback gives the Board valuable insight into your experiences and helps ensure our advocacy, priorities and member services reflect physician needs.

Congratulations to ADIUM Student Elective Travel Grant recipients

Twenty Alberta medical students received an ADIUM Student Elective Travel Grants to support required electives over the past year.
 

Established in 2000, the grant has distributed $250,000 to date helping AMA medical student members defray the high costs of attending medical school in Alberta. Sponsored by AMA’s owned insurance agency, ADIUM Insurance Services Inc., twenty $500 grants are randomly drawn (ten for each school) from student entries each year. 

Alberta Lighthouse Initiative now accepting expressions of interest

Do you have an innovative idea that could help improve the prevention, detection or management of cardiometabolic conditions for Albertans? You could turn that idea into action with support from the Alberta Lighthouse Initiative, which is accepting Expressions of Interest from health services delivery partners until June 29.

The Government of Alberta, Novo Nordisk Canada Inc. and Alberta Innovates have partnered to launch the Alberta Lighthouse Initiative that funds community-led innovation aimed at helping improve patient and health system outcomes and reduce pressure on Alberta’s health care system.

Eligible projects will focus on the prevention, early detection and management of key cardiometabolic conditions: cardiovascular disease, Type-2 diabetes, chronic kidney disease, obesity and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis.

• Expressions of interest must align with one of the program’s Innovation Challenges to address cardiometabolic conditions.
• Health service delivery partners selected to move forward will work with an Innovation Solution Provider to co-develop and implement evidence-informed care models.
• Up to $500,000 is available per project term (up to 24 months).

Introducing the Quality Stewardship Committee

Meet the physicians driving the AMA’s new Quality Stewardship Committee, dedicated to strengthening clinical practice and advancing quality care across Alberta. By reviewing anonymized data and synthesizing evidence-informed recommendations, they champion best practices that improve patient outcomes and help build a more sustainable health system.

• Dr. TaeEun Ahn
• Dr. Anil Abraham Joy
• Dr. Tina Nicholson
• Dr. Kenton Rommens
• Dr. Elaine Bland
• Dr. Prenilla Naidu
• Dr. Ali Quadri
• Dr. Marc Shaw

Understanding RCMP Occupational Heath processes

To further awareness and understanding of RCMP occupational health processes, requirements and how they relate to patients who are police service members, the RCMP has created a robust summary for physicians.  

Physicians caring for RCMP members may be asked to support occupational health processes related to medical leave, return to work or fitness for duty. This may include providing information to the RCMP Occupational Health Team (OHT) on functional abilities, restrictions, limitations and expected timelines to help guide safe workplace accommodation or return-to-work planning. The OHT acts as a liaison with RCMP management.  

Physicians may be asked to complete attending physician statements, provide sick notes or updates as a patient’s condition changes, assist with graduated return-to-work planning or complete periodic health assessment forms for the RCMP OHT while a patient is under your care.  

For more information, read the full letter or contact RCMP K and G Division Health Services at 780-412-5150 or by email. 

Attend our Annualized cARP 101 webinar

Stipend-funded specialist physicians are invited to gain a better understanding of the annualized cARP model at an upcoming webinar.
 

The same content will be provided on both dates with a Q&A to follow. Registration is restricted to AMA member physicians.
 

June 23 from 12 - 1 p.m.
June 25 from 6 - 7 p.m.
 

Learn about the compensation approach, hear the latest enhancements and get ahead of next steps for interested physicians. Stipends are ending – discover how the AMA is supporting specialists through an expedited cARP transition process.

Lend your expertise to the Out-of-Country Health Services Committee

Physicians are invited to apply for the Out-of-Country Health Services Committee, where clinical expertise plays a critical role in ensuring fair, evidence-based funding decisions for Albertans who require care outside of Canada. The application deadline has been extended to June 26.
 

Part of the Ministry of Primary and Preventative Health Services, the Out-of-Country Health Services Committee reviews and makes funding decisions on requests for insured health services received by Albertans outside of Canada. Physician members bring critical clinical insight and real-world experience to committee deliberations, ensuring funding decisions are medically sound, fair and grounded in evidence-based care. 
 

Meetings are held every six weeks, primarily virtually (with occasional in-person meetings in Edmonton). Members receive an honorarium for their time.
 

Applicants must be physicians in good standing with the College of Physicians & Surgeons of Alberta; those in active practice are preferred.

Join the AMA Committee on Financial Audit (COFA)

Deadline has been extended to June 29.
 

Do you have an interest in financial oversight and governance?
 

The AMA is recruiting one physician member for the Committee on Financial Audit (COFA). The committee assists the Board by reviewing financial statements, the annual business plan, compliance and financial policies.

Primary Care Alberta updates

The following updates from Primary Care Alberta (PCA) have been provided for your information: 

• New clinical pathway for iron deficiency anemia
• ACFP's Family Medicine Innovation Forum: call for innovations now open
• Lab bulletin:
  • Provincial standardization on handling glucose-related tests based on patient fasting status

AI vs experience: Finding the right balance

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AI can offer faster insights, but financial decisions still require context, judgment and experience. Understanding where each fits can help you make more confident choices.

Community Connections

Health care providers: Help strengthen cancer screening in Alberta
 

Health care professionals’ perspectives are essential to strengthening and improving existing cancer screening programs in Alberta. Insights gathered through this project will help inform strategies to enhance screening processes, improve participation rates and reinforce the importance of early detection and positive screening outcomes for Albertans.
 

Share your perspectives on the barriers and facilitators
of cancer screening and help identify potential 
strategies to enhance screening uptake for Albertans.
 

Interested? Contact reilly.parkinson@primarycarealberta.ca

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.

In case you missed it

Share your appreciation through JPAC Shine On Gratitude Program
 

Wildfire season prep: Review your risk and coverage

Upcoming events

Cultivating wellbeing for health professionals
 

SOGC's annual clinical and scientific conference

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

June

National Indigenous History Month
 

National Cancer Wellness Awareness Day

June 26
 

PTSD Awareness Day

June 29

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Primary Care Alberta updates
 

Considering retirement? Learn about the ARTA Retiree Benefits Plan

In the June 11
MD Scope Classifieds
you'll find listings for:
 

- Physicians wanted

- Locums wanted

- For sale or lease
- Services

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