April 16, 2026

In this issue: 

• Exceptional contributions deserve recognition: Nominate a colleague for an AMA Achievement Award 
• Interim Federal Health Program co-payments: Take action 
• Register to attend the CMA Regional member forum in Edmonton
• Two more weeks to exercise a Guaranteed Insurability Benefit option for 2026
• Apply for the Section of Rural Medicine Tarrant Scholarship
• Webinar: The role of primary care in ovarian cancer prevention
• PPIP support session: Caregivers as Essential Care Team Partners
• Orthopedic Hospitalist recruitment for University of Alberta Hospital 
• Primary Care Alberta updates:
  • COVID-19 vaccines available for eligible Albertans
  • Specialty advice available at your fingertips - use eConsult today
  • Tobacco & nicotine dependence pathway
  • Update to immunocompromised HPV primary screening pathway (ages 50 to 69)
  • Lab bulletin updates:
    • Central, Edmonton & North zones only:
      • Plasma/serum cortisol changes to method, interpretation and reporting at Edmonton base lab
      • Changes to Anti-Streptolysin O (ASO) measurement
      • Reporting delays for autoimmunity testing at University of Alberta Hospital
    • New instruments for testing human growth hormone, insulin-like growth factor 1 and insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 at University of Alberta Hospital
    • Temporary routing change of Lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)]
    • Legionella urine antigen testing implementation
    • Update to Gynecological Cytology order in Connect Care
    • Serum muscle-specific kinase antibody testing
• MD Financial 
  • Who you hire can make or break your practice
• Community Connections

Exceptional contributions deserve recognition:

Nominate a colleague for an

AMA Achievement Award

Each year the Alberta Medical Association celebrates the individuals who make a difference in health care for Albertans. The AMA Achievement Awards not only acknowledge individual excellence and leadership but also inspire the broader medical community by showcasing the dedication and standards that drive the profession forward.
 

Submit a nomination and help celebrate excellence in health care.

Interim Federal Health Program co-payments:

Take action

The newly announced IFHP co-payments - coming into effect on May 1 - require patients on IFHP to pay a $4 co-payment per prescription and a 30% co-payment for supplementary health services (mental health care, dental, vision, rehabilitation and essential medical supplies). These fees pose a major barrier to care for some of the most vulnerable members of our population. Patients who cannot afford care will delay seeking care; these delays aggravate health conditions leading to additional urgent care needs in an already strained health care system.

Physicians are concerned with the changes to IFHP and the impact they will have on both patients and the system as a whole. These concerns were reflected in a motion at the Spring 2026 RF: “THAT the AMA advocate that the federal government continue to provide IFHP coverage for refugees and refugee claimants without co-payments or patient charges.”
 

Take Action

The CMA has launched a letter-writing campaign to encourage the federal government to get ahead of this problem and work with health providers and patients to ensure IFHP remains accessible. Add your voice and write directly to the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship.

Register for the CMA Regional member forum in Edmonton

The CMA is hosting five member events to connect physicians across Canada to help ensure their advocacy continues to reflect the needs and priorities of the profession.
 

The Alberta session will take place on April 28 between 5 – 8:30 p.m. at the Delta Hotels Edmonton South Conference Centre.
 

What they’re covering:

• Evolving role of AI in health care
• Key issues across the health care system with a focus on the areas where CMA advocacy could have the greatest impact on physicians’ day-to-day practice.

Two more weeks to exercise a Guaranteed Insurability Benefit option for 2026

Eligible AMA disability insurance policy holders have until April 30 to make changes to their Guaranteed Insurability Benefit (GIB).
 

If your disability insurance needs have increased due to increased income or changes to personal circumstances, now is the time to increase your coverage. GIB rider holders have annual opportunities to obtain up to an additional $2,500 of disability insurance coverage without proof of good health. You can apply once per year until age 55.
 

Please visit the AMA Member Dashboard to view your current AMA disability insurance coverage details. To determine the cost of additional coverage, use the Disability Insurance Rate Calculator. If you have the Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA), Own Occupation or Lifetime Accident Total Disability riders on your existing coverage, the cost of these riders will be included in your total premium once you have been approved for additional coverage.    
 

Approval of coverage increases is subject to financial underwriting, which determines the amount of insurance you are eligible for based on your income.  
 

To apply, please submit the GIB Application to adium@albertadoctors.org or securely via the member dashboard by April 30.  

Apply for the Section of Rural Medicine

Tarrant Scholarship

Are you a medical student in your third-year clerkship with an interest in pursuing studies and career development in rural medicine?

If that sounds like you, you may be eligible to apply for the Dr. Michael Tarrant Scholarship. This scholarship provides significant funds for selected third-year medical students from the University of Alberta (Class of 2028) and University of Calgary (Class of 2027) who demonstrate a strong interest in developing their careers in rural medicine.
 

Established in 2004, the scholarship honours the late Dr. Michael Tarrant, a family physician who championed rural medical undergraduate education and the development of physicians dedicated to delivering health care in rural Alberta.

Applications for the Dr. Michael Tarrant Scholarship will be accepted until June 1, 2026.

Webinar: The role of primary care in ovarian cancer prevention

Only one in two women with ovarian cancer live five years after diagnosis. With no screening test or vaccine and vague symptoms, a primary care physician plays a critical role in detection and prevention.
 

In a new webinar powered by the ACTT coLAB, join Alison Ross, Director of Knowledge Mobilization with Ovarian Cancer Care Canada, as she helps physicians build knowledge and confidence to better recognize ovarian cancer risk factors, opportunities for risk prevention and earlier action in primary care.

This free webinar takes place on April 23, 2026, from noon to 1 p.m. 

PPIP support session:

Caregivers as essential care team partners

Complete a CPSA-required Physician Practice Improvement Program (PPIP) activity with our Caregiver-Centered Care (CCC) webinar. The CCC approach recognizes family caregivers as essential partners in the health care team and is incorporated into program curriculum for many new health care providers. Presented by Dr. Vivian Ewa and Dr. Elaine Bland; you're invited to join your peers April 28 from 6-7 p.m. for this 60-minute session to learn evidence-based strategies to engage, partner with and support family caregivers.
 

Prerequisites include three, 20-minute, online, self-paced modules packed with actionable tactics on working effectively with family caregivers. Start the modules today.
 

Why attend this PPIP session?

• The Caregiver-Centered Care: Supporting Family Caregivers in Health Care online modules are accredited by the College of Family Physicians of Canada. Earn up to 43.75 Mainpro+® credits. Additionally, this activity is an Accredited Self-Assessment Program (Section 3) as defined by the Maintenance of Certification Program of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and approved by the University of Calgary Office of Continuing Medical Education and Professional Development. You may claim a maximum of 11.75 hours (credits are automatically calculated).
• Receive a Continuing Competence Certificate following completion of all three online modules.

Orthopedic Hospitalist recruitment for

University of Alberta Hospital 

Alberta Health Services (AHS) is recruiting independently licensed physicians to join the Orthopedic Inpatient Service at the University of Alberta Hospital in Edmonton.
 

This opportunity is well suited to physicians from Family Medicine, General Internal Medicine, Emergency Medicine or Surgery physicians.
 

Physicians in this role provide comprehensive inpatient medical care for orthopedic surgical patients within Alberta’s only quaternary academic hospital, working closely with orthopedic surgeons, nursing, allied health and multidisciplinary teams.
 

Opportunities available:
• Full‑time and part-time positions
• Hospital-based practice (no outpatient panel)
• Academic and quality–improvement–focused environment
• Fee-for-service remuneration, with ARP participation options

Primary Care Alberta updates

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

• COVID-19 vaccines available for eligible Albertans
• Specialty advice available at your fingertips - use eConsult today
• Tobacco & nicotine dependence pathway
• Update to immunocompromised HPV primary screening pathway (ages 50 to 69)
• Lab bulletin updates:
  • Central, Edmonton & North zones only:
    • Plasma/serum cortisol changes to method, interpretation and reporting at Edmonton base lab
    • Changes to Anti-Streptolysin O (ASO) measurement
    • Reporting delays for autoimmunity testing at University of Alberta Hospital
  • New instruments for testing human growth hormone, insulin-like growth factor 1 and insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 at University of Alberta Hospital
  • Temporary routing change of Lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)]
  • Legionella urine antigen testing implementation
  • Update to Gynecological Cytology order in Connect Care
  • Serum muscle-specific kinase antibody testing

Who you hire can make or break your practice

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Your team directly affects patient experience, workload and day-to-day stress. From defining roles to compensation, onboarding and retention, building the right staffing structure can help prevent burnout and support long-term practice sustainability. Thinking about how to staff your practice?

Community Connections

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

2026-27 President-Elect call for nominations
 

Translated colonoscopy resources for patients now available

Upcoming events

Hope for Hypermobility

April 25

Making every year count: Buybacks and the Medicus Pension Plan

April 29
 

Heart of the Prairies: Cardiology Conference and ECG Workshop

May 8-9

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

Canadian Fertility Awareness Week

April 19 to 25

National Immunization Awareness Week

April 23 to 30

Recommend a special date

Last issue's top stories

Planning your final arrangements
 

Primary Care Alberta Updates

In the April 16
MD Scope Classifieds
you'll find listings for:
 

- Physicians wanted

- Locums wanted

- For sale or lease
- Services

More AMA publications

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