(Submitted photo/SMA)

By Ben Tompkins

President's tour

Saskatchewan Medical Association makes a stop in Nipawin

Oct 5, 2022 | 5:16 PM

Dr. John Gjevre, a Saskatoon respirologist and president of the Saskatchewan Medical Association (SMA), met with physicians from the North East (Kelsey Trail) Medical Staff Association recently, to discuss issues of interest to area physicians.

The annual President and Vice-President’s Tour is a tradition of the SMA and is a means by which SMA leadership stays in touch with physicians across the province.

The meetings this year reverted to an in-person format, with a virtual option, after being exclusively virtual since 2020.

Dr. Gjevre and SMA vice-president Dr. Annette Epp, a Saskatoon gynecologist, shared the responsibilities of the tour with one or the other, or both, attending meetings.

“I am pleased that the President and Vice-President’s Tour returned to an in-person format,” said Dr. Gjevre.

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“Physicians have missed the collegial nature of the tour. One of the goals of my presidency was to re-engage with physicians after more than two years of the pandemic. An in-person format fosters a greater sense of community among physicians, and I enjoyed listening to the concerns of North East MSA physicians.”

SMA members were asked what they view as priorities as the SMA heads into negotiations with the Ministry of Health on a new contract.

The previous five-year contract expired on March 31, 2022 (it remains in effect until a new contract is ratified).

“Physicians and SMA staff told me what they would like to see negotiated as part of a new contract with the government. They also provided their thoughts on how the SMA can best serve them as we tackle challenges brought about by the pandemic, which is still very much among us.”

According to Gjevre, issues related to access to family physicians, postponed or cancelled procedures, surgical backlogs, service shutdowns due to a lack of healthcare resources, and physician recruitment and retention are among the concerns raised by physicians.

Physician wellness was another issue on the agenda for the President and Vice-President’s Tour.

This included an update on the SMA’s commitment to addressing racism within the medical profession and the health system through its Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee.

Four learning opportunities are planned for the fall to deepen the understanding of racism in medicine.

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Ben.Tompkins@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter @BenTompkins_8