YOUR SMA
update
from the section of family practice
By Dallas Carpenter
T
he largest section of the SMA, the Family Practice (FP)
Section, held its regular meeting prior to the Fall 2014
SMA Representative Assembly (RA) in Regina.
The meeting was well attended, with several physicians
joining the meeting over the phone and Internet for the
first time.
The SMA led into the FP Section meeting and RA with the
President’s and Vice-President’s Fall Tour, which allowed the
SMA to learn about many of the issues facing physicians in
their regions.
One of the main issues facing family physicians is the expansion of the scope of practice of allied health care providers such as pharmacists and nurse practitioners. With these
professions now taking on duties once exclusively in the
realm of family practitioners and with new programs and
initiatives changing what is expected of physicians, family
physicians are feeling the weight of transforming their practices and redefining their role in the health care system.
“Family physicians feel they are pressured from outside allied health professions, including nurse practitioners, pharmacists, chiropractors, podiatrists, and physiotherapists,”
said Dr. Rizqi Ibrahim, who chaired his final section meeting
in November. “Family physicians also feel pressure from our
own colleagues in terms of ability to access diagnostics, access to specialists, pathways and pooled referrals.”
On the heels of the physician engagement surveys conducted in each health region, which revealed only 36 per cent of
Saskatchewan physicians feel engaged in their region, the
FP Section discussed the issue of engagement thoroughly.
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SMA DIGEST | WINTER 2015
The engagement of family physicians is necessary to maintain a patient-centred system with a high standard of care,
and as Dr. Ibrahim explains, the FP Section will push to have
physician voices heard.
“The section of Family Practice will continue to press all parties and engage family physicians in matters related to primary care and patient centered care. We will press the SMA
Executive and Board as well as regional and provincial authorities to involve and engage family physicians in issues
related to primary care.” The newly elected chair of the FP
Section is Prince Albert physician, Dr. Stan Oleksinski.
The FP Section took action on improving both physician
engagement and collegiality. A motion was passed that led
to an RA resolution directing the SMA to arrange meetings
with the Family Practice Section Executive and RHA CEOs
and SMOs to develop relationships between family physicians and RHAs.
Another motion was adopted that will address collegiality
and intra-professional relationships through a seminar that
will bring together family physicians and specialist physicians. Dr. Ibrahim believes that increasing collegiality is one
of the top concerns the medical profession must address.
“I think collegiality is front and centre as far as the Section of
Family Practice is concerned,” he said. “It is imperative that
we, physicians as a profession, get back to our collegial relationships that we had enjoyed in the past, family physicians
and specialists alike.”
Dr. Ibrahim is concluding his time as the Chair of the FP Section after 22 years. He includes recognizing full-service family physicians through the Comprehensive Care Program,
significantly improving fees, and establishing age-related