January 25, 2024

In this issue:

• Share your voice to help government and the public understand the crisis in family care

• AMA Strike Team: Improving comprehensive primary care

• FIB-4: New test in Alberta to risk stratify patients of developing liver fibrosis

• General surgery to join FAST province-wide

• Alberta's Pathways Hub - Feedback wanted

• Now available province-wide: Family medicine - Menopause symptom advice request reason for referral

• Election results: Meet your new zonal/regional RF delegates!

• Want to help celebrate medicine's achievements? Apply now!

• Applications now open for Health Technology Innovation Program
• MD Financial Management
  • ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Should I invest in a TFSA or leave excess funds in my corporation?
• ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Community Connections
  • Your input is needed on assessing FASD in Canada

Share your voice to help government and the public understand the crisis in family care

We are doing everything we can to convey to the government and the public the need for  immediate action – in weeks, not months –  from government to address the crisis facing family and rural generalist physician practices.
 
We need Albertans to be alarmed by this and to speak to their MLAs and you can help by sharing your story on our Patients First website. The site allows you to very easily share a 20-30 second video with your name, where you practice and what you're experiencing as a result of the lack of access to comprehensive care.
 
You can watch the videos by the many doctors who've shared their stories already.

AMA Strike Team: Improving comprehensive primary care

The AMA Strike Team is working to ensure family physician and rural generalist practices are a priority for the government's upcoming Budget 2024. Backed by the AMA's relentless advocacy, the Strike Team's work is focused on three streams:

Stream 1: Core elements of a new payment model (Physician Comprehensive Care Model) supporting longitudinal family practice, and other existing model improvements including costing and budget.
Stream 2: Other elements of stabilization in primary care.
Stream 3: Administrative burden.
 

Work is progressing and the Strike Team web page (member login required) is your one-stop-shop for related information and updates - including weekly Strike Team meeting notes. All members are encouraged to visit the page often. If you would like to be notified when the page is updated, please email striketeam@albertadoctors.org.

FIB-4: New test in Alberta to risk stratify patients of developing liver fibrosis

On February 1, 2024, clinical laboratories across Alberta will introduce a new orderable test called Fibrosis-4 (FIB-4). FIB-4 is a calculated score based on age and a combination of lab tests (aspartate aminotransferase [AST], alanine aminotransferase [ALT] and platelet count). It is a well-validated index used to risk stratify patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in high, intermediate and low risk of developing cirrhosis over the next 10 years. FIB-4 is also a key step in the NAFLD Primary Care Pathway, Hepatitis C Virus Primary Care Pathway and Alcohol Use Disorder Pathway. The availability of FIB-4 in Alberta allows results to be calculated, trended and documented in the patient’s electronic health information system.

General surgery to join FAST province-wide

On February 26, general surgery will join the Facilitated Access to Specialized Treatment (FAST) program in Central, South, North and Calgary Zones. General Surgeons practicing in Edmonton are already receiving referrals via FAST.

FAST is a central access and intake program that receives surgical referrals and sends them to a specific provider/clinic/site, to a next-available surgeon with the shortest wait time, or an out of Zone provider.

All general surgery referrals can be sent into FAST once it is live. A sneak peek of the provincial general surgery referral pathway launching in February can be viewed here and the new provincial general surgery FAST referral form is coming soon.

FAST will be expanded to all surgical specialties by 2025.

Learn more about FAST at ahs.ca/FAST.

Alberta's Pathways Hub - Feedback wanted

The provincial central location for trusted, evidence-informed clinical, patient and referral pathways, the Hub is maintained by the Provincial Pathways Unit (PPU). The PPU is requesting assistance from primary care providers in reviewing the pathways below – please explore and email AlbertaPathways@ahs.ca if you have feedback.

All pathways developed with the PPU are designed with a network of partners including patient and family advisors, primary care providers, specialists and other multidisciplinary clinical professionals as required.

• Abnormal Uterine Bleeding and Post-Menopausal Bleeding Clinical and Patient Pathways
• Lower Limb Ischemia Clinical and Patient Pathways
• Provincial Adult Vascular Surgery Referral Pathway

Now available province-wide:

Family medicine - Menopause symptom advice request reason for referral

On January 11, the Family Medicine – Menopause Symptom eReferral Advice Request reason for referral was expanded to Calgary, North, South and Central Zones. It has been available in Edmonton Zone since May 2023.

eReferral Advice Requests are non-urgent questions submitted through Alberta Netcare with responses from a specialist within five calendar days. To get started, review the quick references online. For additional training support, please contact the eHealth Services team at 1-855-643-8649 or email ehealthsupport@cgi.com.

Election results: Meet your new zonal/regional RF delegates

On January 9 ballots were tallied for the election of zonal/regional delegates to AMA’s Representative Forum.

Delegates were acclaimed and elected to Regions 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9 and in Calgary (Region 3) and Edmonton (Region 6).

One vacancy remains in Region 7 and if you're interested in attending Spring RF (March 15-16 in Edmonton) for this position as an alternate, please contact the North ZMSA President at zmsaadmin@albertadoctors.org.
 

• View the election results.
• See a complete list of RF delegates.

Member login required.

Want to help celebrate medicine's achievements? Apply now!

The AMA's Committee on Achievement Awards is currently recruiting to fill a one-year term. Visit the AMA committee recruitment web page (login is required) to view the posting and apply.

The deadline to apply is March 30, 2024.

Applications now open for Health Technology Innovation Program

The Health Technology Innovation Program by ST Innovations, supported by the Alberta Innovates Ecosystem Development Partnership (EDP) Program, is now open for applications for the 2024 cycle.

The EDP Program was created by Alberta Innovates and aims to enhance the research and innovation ecosystem in Alberta. The vision of the EDP program is to foster provincial strengths, new industries and enhance value throughout the entire system and its operations.

Do you have an innovative health product or idea that requires prototyping, engineering, clinical expertise or validation? Projects accepted into the Health Technology Innovation program will receive up to $75,000 worth of services and expertise in health technology market fit product development and/or validation.

Should I invest in a TFSA or leave excess funds in my corporation?

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Community Connections

This month, the following is available for your consideration:

Your input is needed on assessing FASD in Canada

The Public Health Agency of Canada has partnered with Canadian Academy of Health Sciences to do an assessment on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). As part of this assessment, they would like to hear directly from people living with FASD, their family members and those who work with them. There are two ways for AMA members to participate:

• Survey: Written input and policy documents can be submitted by Wednesday, January 31, 2024.
• Focused, online discussions will take place over two days in January. Learn more and apply to be part of these discussions.

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...

Physicians needed to interview applicants for the U of A Doctor of Medicine Program

Upcoming events

Changing your Self-Criticism to Self-Compassion

January 31

16th Annual Autism Conference

February 1 and 2

Media Relations 101

February 15

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

Below are special dates deserving recognition:

February:

World Cancer Day

February 4

Pink Shirt Day

February 28

Recommend a special date.

Last issue's top stories

- Optimized Prescribing with Seniors

- Patients requesting Novavax vaccine?

In the January 25
MD Scope Classifieds
you'll find listings for:
 

- Physicians wanted

- Locums wanted

- For sale or lease
- Services

More from the AMA

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