Dear Members,
I hope your summer has been wonderful so far and you have had some time to enjoy the warm weather, the prairie skies, and the beautiful outdoors. At the Alberta College of Family Physicians (ACFP), it has been a fruitful time as we support causes that are relevant to our membership and continue to bring the voice of family physicians to the forefront of pressing primary care issues.
Engaging in Advocacy and Government Relations
Over the last two months, Executive Director, Terri Potter, and I have had several meetings with ministries and their staff to discuss their mandate letters, including meetings with the Premier, Danielle Smith, and the Minister of Health, Adriana LaGrange.
ACFP engages in conversations related to the Recovery Oriented System, the Compassionate Intervention Act, and the Federal Universal Coverage of Contraception, and we continue to communicate our recommendations to Modernizing Alberta’s Primary Health Care System (MAPS), among many others. All these are initiated to ensure that the practice of family medicine remains well-supported, sustainable, and responsive to the needs of our evolving health care system.
Get More Involved With ACFP
As we approach Fall, we once again invite able and willing volunteers to join our ACFP Board or Governance committees. I can attest that joining the Board has been an enriching experience for me; the ability to serve our members and make an impact in our professional community has been very rewarding and humbling. Please consider joining me and together with the rest of the Board, we can lead and promote the well-being of our fellow family physicians. For more information on how to apply, visit our Volunteer with the ACFP webpage.
Learn and Connect With Your Colleagues
A great way to be in touch with your peers and other primary care providers is through our member community, ACFP Networks. Take advantage of this interactive, safe, and secure platform to build your professional relationships. Once you register, you can join online communities to find out your colleagues’ thoughts on the latest topics such as Indigenous health, opioid crisis, burnout, and chronic pain to name a few and get the chance to share your perspectives, too.
Through your active participation, we hope to be able to make our voices loud and clear as we persevere in our advocacy and leadership efforts.
Thank you for your unrelenting support and engagement and I hope you enjoy the rest of summer!
Sincerely,
Noel DaCunha, MBBS, CCFP
President
Alberta College of Family Physicians
