Dear Colleague,
I ask for your support in our upcoming Canadian Medical Association election. Your opinion matters now more that ever. The COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally shifted the delivery of healthcare in Canada, particularly in virtual care, technology, rural and remote access, physician engagement, and medical education. Clear gaps and inequity in healthcare delivery, including indigenous health disparities, racism, mental health and addictions have been exposed. Our healthcare system cannot return to the pre-pandemic “status quo” as it was not meeting the needs of Canadians, Physicians, Allied Health, patients, nor our families.
The CMA Impact 2040 outlines a clear vision and direction for change. Key to this change is the evolving role of physicians, particularly in primary and acute care reform. The CMA is uniquely poised to re-imagine physician work across practice settings. In addition to being clinical experts, physicians will become team leaders for multidisciplinary team-based care models, community and system level health advocates, healthcare delivery experts, and technology leaders to meet the needs of our aging population in the most efficient and cost effective fashion. Investing in enhanced leadership and advocacy training at all career stages, including residency, will cement the importance of physician knowledge, the physician voice, in healthcare planning and delivery. We must incorporate the Truth and Reconciliation Commission recommendations into our planning if we are to address Indigenous health inequity. Promoting improved system connectivity through evolving technology is foundational to the future delivery of Canadian healthcare.
Throughout my 29 year career I have practised in multiple settings including rural and urban community Family Medicine offices, Obstetrics, and surgical assists in Cardiac Surgery. These varied experiences have broadened my understanding of, and respect for, the significant systemic workflow issues that affect primary and secondary patient care in Canada.
I have a long track record in promoting physician leadership and advocacy skills. By successfully leveraging my knowledge and the knowledge and experience of physician colleagues in my various director roles I have encourage professional growth of the next generation of leaders and effective succession planning. My work leading the development of Pathways, a clinically based technological solution to improve patient care and physician workflow, has enhanced my capability to identify and leverage new technology to streamline healthcare delivery. These skill sets will support the work of the CMA Board in system redesign as we emerge from the pandemic.
It has been my honour to earn the trust and respect of the physicians I have worked with. If you agree that the next CMA President Elect needs to understand and respect Family Physician and Consultant Specialist perspectives across a range of practice settings, with experience levering quality improvement in technology and workflow streams in our evolving healthcare system, I ask for your support. I look forward to representing you.
Respectfully, Kathleen