Alberta's health care system needs change, but change must be planned with proper consultation and true feedback from physicians, the public and other health professionals. This was the message of outgoing Alberta Medical Association (AMA) President Dr. Noel W. Grisdale.
In his valedictory address this morning, Dr. Grisdale said: "We are all aware of the revenue and budget challenges facing the Government. As a result, any decisions on health care by Government and by Alberta Health Services naturally lead many Albertans to believe that dollars are deciding what is best for Alberta's health care system, and not evidence-based decisions on what is best for patients."
"The AMA and Alberta physicians understand the financial situation. But we do not understand why we have been excluded from decisions where our expertise, our experience and our efforts could have resulted in better decisions."
Dr. Grisdale spoke about health privacy legislation, Bill 52, the Health Information Amendment Act, that was brought forward by Alberta Health and Wellness in late 2008, without any consultation with physicians. Until the AMA became involved, it appeared that the very private health information of patients would only remain private at the whim of the Minister of Health and Wellness and not the discretion and wishes of patients themselves.