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In today’s message you will find:

Help Reduce Sick Notes

One of the top administrative burdens physicians identified include sick notes and other requests from employers and educational institutions, such as return-to-work and accommodation notes. 

We are inviting physicians to take part in a Think Tank to look for ways to reduce these requests and/​or make them more efficient. 

Key Details:

  • Date: Thursday, April 11, 2024

  • Time: 1:30 – 4:30 p.m.

  • Location: Masonic Memorial Centre, 420 Corydon Ave (Confusion Corner)

  • Request attendance here by March 28, 2024.
    Please note space is limited and we will seek to include a representative cross section of different stakeholder groups. Please hold the date and watch your email for an attendance confirmation. A Zoom-based option will be offered for those outside of Winnipeg unable to attend in person to participate remotely.

The Think Tank will bring together physicians, employers, and labour organizations to discuss how to reduce the use of sick notes, alternative approaches to managing sick-related absences, and finding more efficient ways of obtaining accommodation and return-to-work advice. Our goal is to build consensus about how to reduce or eliminate requests that are not drawing on medical expertise, while improving requests where medical advice is required.

The agenda will include:

  • Presentation of Research and Consultation Phase

  • Roundtable Discussion

  • Report Back and Consensus Building

The Think Tank is being organized by the Joint Task Force to Reduce Administrative Burdens for Physicians, a collaborative initiative by Doctors Manitoba and the Province of Manitoba.

Please send any questions about the event to adminburden@​doctorsmanitoba.​ca.

Dr. José François named Manitoba’s Provincial Chief Medical Officer

Dr. José François has been named as Shared Health’s provincial chief medical officer, responsible for providing senior medical leadership across the healthcare system in Manitoba. In Global News’ coverage of his appointment, Dr. François said one of the biggest issues facing the provincial health-care system right now is access to care.

In the Brandon Sun coverage, Dr. François spoke about rural recruitment, including the challenge of retaining physicians in the same regions in which they received excellent training. . 

Read the Shared Health News Release here.

Our Physician of the Year

Chosen by a selection committee of his peers, Dr. François is the Doctors Manitoba Physician of the Year. During his time leading family medicine, Dr. Francois laid the foundation to turnaround the family doctor shortage in Manitoba. He has championed expansions for family physician training, better support for international medical graduates, targeted initiatives for rural, northern and francophone training, and he supported new models of care and remuneration for longitudinal family practice.

You can read more about Dr. François and our other 2024 Award Recipients here.




Awards Gala

Dr. François and his fellow honorees will be celebrated at our Annual Awards Gala on Saturday, May 11. This year, funds raised will support initiatives at Our Own Health Centre focused on addictions treatment and HIV testing for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, and the Rainbow Resource Centre’s transformative capital project, Place of Pride. Doctors Manitoba will make a donation to support these causes, and guests at the Awards Gala will have the opportunity to support these causes as well through a fundraising initiative.

Purchase your discounted early bird tickets here. Please note, our gala has sold out over the past two years, so we really encourage you to get your tickets early!

Family Medicine Plus Update

On Tuesday, more than 300 family physicians joined live for our Family Medicine Plus (FM+) webinar. You can watch a recording of the webinar on-demand at the following link where you will be asked to register before viewing.

In addition to outlining the basics of FM+ including panel payments, newborn enrollment and indirect clinical time, the webinar audience heard from panelist Dr. Candace Bradshaw, who shared her enthusiasm for this new longitudinal family practice model. ​“Because of this model, I have gone from a place of chronic burnout to a space of hope and enthusiasm,” she said, adding that she is spending more time with patients, ​“and I feel the joy in practicing medicine again, which is something that I lost for well over a decade.”

Our list of FM+ billing guidance and how to guides has expanded:

Keep an eye on the FM+ hub and sign up for the FM+ Newsletter to stay up to date ahead of the April 1 launch and beyond.

Match Day is Tuesday, March 19

Match Day can bring complicated emotions, regardless of match status.

“It’s not unusual for medical learners to feel a range of emotions no matter what happens on the day. If you match, don’t match with your preferred option… or don’t match at all…” said Dr. Shelley Anderson, Medical Lead for Physician Health. ​“There’s a lot of uncertainty, not only around the match, but making plans for what happens next with partners, families, potential moves and more.”

Doctors Manitoba President Dr. Michael Boroditsky sent a letter to congratulate the class of 2024, and to also offer a reminder of supports available, including through Docs360.

We’d also like to encourage physicians and medical learners to extend their kindness, care and compassion to students throughout the Match Day experience.

The Canadian Resident Matching Service (CaRMS) serves approximately 6,000 medical students and residents each year who are seeking the training positions they need to put them on the path to practicing medicine in Canada.

Joining together in support of gender-affirming care

Doctors Manitoba has joined with medical associations across the country to voice concern about any government proposal that would restrict access to evidence-based medical care for patients, including for transgender people.

The Canadian Medical Association statement includes the following assertions:

Canadians have the right to make personal choices about their health.

There is no one-size-fits-all approach for patients experiencing gender dysphoria. Restricting choices and appropriate care for patients can lead to permanent harm.

We urge all levels of government to consult with physician experts in their field when considering any major changes in policy related to health care impacting the 2SLGTBQ+ community.

Read the complete statement, including the list of signatories here.

Health System Updates

Measles update
Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) Vaccine Eligibility - In light of the recent cases of measles in Canada, health care providers may notice an increase in inquiries regarding immunization status or eligibility for a vaccination against measles. Population and Public Health has adjusted the language within the eligibility criteria for measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccination to more clearly outline who is eligible.

As noted on Manitoba’s Immunization Program website, the Eligibility Criteria for Publicly Funded Vaccines does not cover vaccines for travel purposes, with the exception of children aged 6 months to under 12 months travelling to a measles-endemic country. This age cohort is eligible for one additional dose of measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine.

Revised language on eligibility criteria can also be found at Vaccine Eligibility | Health | Province of Manitoba (gov​.mb​.ca).

World Glaucoma Week

GEM Clinic is formally relaunching its website after a major review since it was first launched in 2012. There are several new sections outlining new surgical techniques in glaucoma which we are now able to offer patients here in Manitoba. 

See the updated site at gem​clin​ic​.ca

Doctors Manitoba supports all ophthalmologists in the care and treatment of their patients and recognizes the importance of this year’s World Glaucoma week theme, ​“Uniting for a Glaucoma-Free World” and its focus on bringing together communities worldwide to fight together against glaucoma blindness.

ICYMI

Upcoming Events

You can always review upcoming events on our events calendar page.

CMA AGM May 29

This year’s Annual General Meeting for the CMA is special for Manitobans, as CMA President-Elect Dr. Joss Reimer will officially become president. Register to hear from her and other CMA leaders. The CMA AGM will be held virtually on Wednesday, May 29, from 10 a.m. to 2:30 pm.

Learn more and register.

Meeting information, including the agenda, is available at cma​.ca/​a​g​m2024. The annual report and additional resources will be added in advance of the meeting.

Questions? Contact memberservicecentre@​cma.​ca.

IPAC Mentorship Gathering 

Registration is open for the Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada’s Annual Mentorship Gathering and AGM July 12 – 14 in Halifax. The gathering is an opportunity for Indigenous medical students, residents, and physicians, both members and potential members, to come together to share stories of their academic journeys, grow their networks, and enjoy cultural activities. The theme of IPAC’s 2024 Annual Mentorship Gathering and AGM is: Our Stories. Our Medicine.

Early bird pricing ends March 29.

Physicians ​‘Into the Cold’

A group of Manitoba physicians will be walking, jogging, running, and doing other outdoor activities throughout March in support of Main Street Project. While each physician has their own personal reasons for participating, they share a common recognition of the essential contributions that MSP makes to the lives of Winnipeg’s most marginalized community members. MSP works to provide safe housing, nutritious food, community, and mental health supports. Help this team of physicians support Main Street Project! Learn more and donate.

Beyond Fatigue: A discussion on IDA management in Primary Care — March 13 or 21

In a conversational presentation format, a Hematologist and a Family Medicine physician discuss their experience managing iron deficiency anemia (IDA). They will review the unmet need and discuss the appropriate use of oral and IV iron therapy. Learn more and register here.

2024 Canadian Conference on Physician Leadership — May 24 – 25 in Montréal

Lead the change our healthcare system desperately needs! Attend the CCPL2024 in Montréal, where you’ll gain invaluable insights and skills to drive transformation.

View the conference program here. Register now.

When Race Correction meets AI
Join this latest talk as part of the Ending the Practice of ​“Race Correction” in Health Care speaker series. This March 21 virtual event features computer scientist, Dr. Mohamed Abdalla in conversation with: LLana James (Chair of the Canada-US Coalition to End Race Correction), Dr. Patricia O’Campo, Dr. Gbolahan (GB) Olarewaju and Dr. Nav Persaud.

Reserve your spot here.

Spring Mentorship Event

Watch for your email to register for the April 19 mentorship event at FortWhyte Alive. Interested in learning more about mentorship opportunities with Doctors Manitoba? Please contact Cynthia Okojie, Mentorship and Member Engagement Coordinator at cokojie@​doctorsmanitoba.​ca


Investing through 2024 and beyond with robust portfolios

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