Alberta doctors almost unanimously say they have lost confidence in Health Minister Tyler Shandro..The Alberta Medical Association held a vote amongst its members with result released Wednesday showing 98 per cent of doctors had voted against Shandro..There were 8,934 votes from physicians, residents and medical students across Alberta, which represents a voter turn-out of 67 per cent, said the president of the AMA, Dr. Christine P. Molnar..“In everything we do, our goal is to reach a negotiated agreement with government, using arbitration if necessary. This referendum’s historic turn-out and overwhelming results send an unequivocal message: Physicians, resident physicians and medical students are telling the AMA Board to move on,” said Molnar in a statement..“We will be reaching out to Premier Jason Kenney and seeking his leadership and support in restoring a meaningful dialogue between physicians and the Minister..“The membership has spoken. The Board will act accordingly and we will see how our message is received.”.The week before the vote, Molnar said: “Our relationship with the provincial government has reached an all-time low.. Defying crackdown, hundreds march against lockdowns in Calgary .“We want every single doctor across this province to have an opportunity to vote, as this grassroots direction will guide our next steps and send a strong message to government..“For months now, the AMA has repeatedly attempted to engage the Minister of Health in an honest and fair negotiation with physicians. At every turn, we have been met with a combination of indifference and increasing hostility. It is damaging your practices, our health care system and patient care every day that it continues.”.At $413,000 annually, average fee-for-service payments to doctors are about $100,000 higher in Alberta than in B.C., Ontario and Quebec..In a Wednesday presser conference, when asked about the vote, Kenney seemed unwilling to throw Shandro under the bus..Kenney said Shandro has been doing a “fantastic job.”.And Kenney said his government has to be responsible to 4.4 million Albertans, not just 10,000 doctors..“We simply don’t have the money” to give doctors what they want, Kenney said, noting Alberta’s economy has shrunk 20 per cent while doctor compensation has gone up 23 per cent..He said giving doctors what they want would add $2 billion in costs over the next three years..Dave Naylor is the News Editor of the Western Standard.dnaylor@westernstandardonline.com.Twitter.com/nobby7694
Alberta doctors almost unanimously say they have lost confidence in Health Minister Tyler Shandro..The Alberta Medical Association held a vote amongst its members with result released Wednesday showing 98 per cent of doctors had voted against Shandro..There were 8,934 votes from physicians, residents and medical students across Alberta, which represents a voter turn-out of 67 per cent, said the president of the AMA, Dr. Christine P. Molnar..“In everything we do, our goal is to reach a negotiated agreement with government, using arbitration if necessary. This referendum’s historic turn-out and overwhelming results send an unequivocal message: Physicians, resident physicians and medical students are telling the AMA Board to move on,” said Molnar in a statement..“We will be reaching out to Premier Jason Kenney and seeking his leadership and support in restoring a meaningful dialogue between physicians and the Minister..“The membership has spoken. The Board will act accordingly and we will see how our message is received.”.The week before the vote, Molnar said: “Our relationship with the provincial government has reached an all-time low.. Defying crackdown, hundreds march against lockdowns in Calgary .“We want every single doctor across this province to have an opportunity to vote, as this grassroots direction will guide our next steps and send a strong message to government..“For months now, the AMA has repeatedly attempted to engage the Minister of Health in an honest and fair negotiation with physicians. At every turn, we have been met with a combination of indifference and increasing hostility. It is damaging your practices, our health care system and patient care every day that it continues.”.At $413,000 annually, average fee-for-service payments to doctors are about $100,000 higher in Alberta than in B.C., Ontario and Quebec..In a Wednesday presser conference, when asked about the vote, Kenney seemed unwilling to throw Shandro under the bus..Kenney said Shandro has been doing a “fantastic job.”.And Kenney said his government has to be responsible to 4.4 million Albertans, not just 10,000 doctors..“We simply don’t have the money” to give doctors what they want, Kenney said, noting Alberta’s economy has shrunk 20 per cent while doctor compensation has gone up 23 per cent..He said giving doctors what they want would add $2 billion in costs over the next three years..Dave Naylor is the News Editor of the Western Standard.dnaylor@westernstandardonline.com.Twitter.com/nobby7694
