Happy New Year. 2019 was a year that saw many changes, many directly effecting health care. We have seen challenges regarding funding and while the government continues its consultative process, there remains the possibility that funding and payment models as they currently exist may be subject to change in the future. We are committed to advocating for the role of Family Physicians in the system and the role they play in providing efficient and sustainable health care delivery. We will continue these advocacy efforts into the new year and beyond.
Our annual Family Medicine Summit is fast approaching and will be held March 6-8, 2020 at the Rimrock Resort Hotel in Banff. The Board and I look forward to engaging with our membership at this event and look forward to another excellent conference programme. This year marks the 65th anniversary of the ACFP and we will be acknowledging this important milestone at the Summit this year.
In keeping with the education theme, I want to acknowledge that this year represents 10 years of collaboration with the PEER group and the 250th Tools for Practice article has recently been released.
In the wake of recent events, I feel it is also important to acknowledge that incidents that occur in our own backyards or take place across the world, affect us all. This can be either directly, or indirectly (through our colleagues or patients) in the communities we serve. The horrific crash of Flight PS752 in Iran has impacted numerous people in Alberta, particularly in the Edmonton area. Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected by the tragedy. In our role as primary care providers, events like this can have a huge impact on our patients and communities and it is an example of the importance of Family Physicians being a source of support for those who need it.
If anyone is being personally affected, I encourage you to debrief with a colleague you trust or reach out to the Physician and Family Support Program (1-877-767-4637).
Vishal Bhella, MD, CCFP
President
Alberta College of Family Physicians
