Dr. Barb Konstantynowicz, a family physician from Regina and vice-president of the Saskatchewan Medical Association (SMA), will meet with physicians from the SunriseRegional Medical Association on Oct. 7to discuss issues of interest to physicians and their association.
The meeting is one of 11 stops as the SMA president and the vice-president tour the province to hear from local physicians. The annual President and Vice-President鈥檚 T our is a tradition of the SMA and is a key method the SMA leadership uses to stay in touch with members. Dr. Allan Woo, a Saskatoon orthopedic surgeon and president of the SMA,and Dr. Konstantynowiczwill share the responsibilities of the tour with one or the other, and sometimes both, attending meetings.
鈥淭he President and Vice-President鈥檚 Tour fits my goal to re-establish more collegiality among physicians in Saskatchewan,鈥� saidDr. Woo. 鈥淭ime and again we hear physicians feel disconnected from the health system and from their colleagues, mainly because they are extremely busy looking after their patients and don鈥檛 have time to get together.
鈥淭he tour gives physicians a chance to meet and socialize, and provide input to the SMA on the issues they feel are important to the medical profession.鈥�
One of the issues that will be raised is the evolving relationship between the Saskatchewan Health Authority(SHA) and the province鈥檚 physicians. Bylaws and rules that articulate the relationship between the SHA and physicians are under review.
鈥淭he discussionsare detailed and time-consuming, a reflection of the importance physicians put onthe bylaws and rules. I look forward to hearing what SMA members think about the state of these talks,鈥� said Dr. Woo.
Dr. Woo cited continued negotiations on a new MCRC agreement with the government as another major concern of physicians. The previous agreementexpired on March 31, 2017.
Another issue closely related to collegiality is physician wellness, Dr. Woo said. Repeated studies have shown many of Canada鈥檚 physicians feel burned out, he noted. The SMA is in the process of expanding its Physician Support Program, which is a support mechanism within the SMA for physicians. Dr. Woo said enhancing collegiality among all physicians by promoting get-togethers would go a long way toward helping physicians who feel they are working in a silo, isolated from their peers.
Dr. Konstantynowicz said the President and Vice-President鈥檚 Tour is the SMA鈥檚 chance to hear about the issues that concernher colleagues.
鈥淚t鈥檚 an opportunity for us to connect and let everyone know what we have been working on,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 also a chance to acknowledge the hard work that each physician doesevery day.I鈥檓 looking forward to seeing as many of my colleagues as possible.鈥漈he Saskatchewan Medical Association (www.sma.sk.ca) is a voluntary, member-based, professional association for physicians, medical students and residents in the province and it is the provincial chapter of the Canadian Medical Association. As the trusted voiceof Saskatchewan鈥檚 more than 2,400 practising physicians, the SMA negotiates for and on behalf of our doctors; supports the educational, professional, economic and personal well-being of physicians; and advocates for a high-quality and patient-centred health care system
