{"id":4562,"date":"2020-04-11T07:09:00","date_gmt":"2020-04-11T13:09:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/?p=4562"},"modified":"2020-04-14T17:14:34","modified_gmt":"2020-04-14T23:14:34","slug":"6-myths-the-ucp-keeps-spreading-about-doctors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/2020\/04\/11\/6-myths-the-ucp-keeps-spreading-about-doctors\/","title":{"rendered":"6 myths the UCP keeps spreading about doctors"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>I recently encountered a thread on Twitter outlining several myths that Tyler Shandro, Alberta\u2019s minister of health\u2014as well as other members of the UCP government\u2014keeps perpetuating as they continue fighting against doctors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">If a certain Premier can *decide* to be an Epidemiologist-for-a-day, I figure I can take a crack at being an Economist.  A lot of \u201cparty line\u201d misinformation is still being circulated by <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/shandro?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@shandro<\/a> et al. Docs\u2019 concerns are about MUCH more than money, but Facts are still impt: \ud83d\udc47<\/p>&mdash; Kathryn Andrusky (@kandrusky) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/kandrusky\/status\/1248691667797864450?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 10, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The thread was written by Kathryn Andrusky. She\u2019s a family physician in the Edmonton area. She\u2019s also a clinical lecturer at the University of Alberta and the past president of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.albertadoctors.org\/leaders-partners\/leaders\/sections\/section-members\/family-medicine\">AMA Section of Family Medicine<\/a>. The information in her tweet was based on research and compilation performed by AMA Health Economics staff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Given that her Twitter thread debunks several myths commonly used by the UCP and their supporters, I thought it\u2019d be useful to have them listed here, in a more shareable format.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Kathryn has given me permission to adapt her Twitter thread for this post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-heading\">Myth 1<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>Alberta doctor pay is 35% higher than comparator provinces<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Canadian Institute for Health Information warns against using data out of context and to not compare. Adjusting for <em>all<\/em> types of payment (not just fee-for-service), the differences in specialist and GP numbers between <em>all<\/em> comparator provinces is only 16.6%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A significant number of Ontario \u201ctechnical fees\u201d and other clinical payments (e.g. BC funding pools) were not included in CIHI\u2019s national physician database. If we adjust for this omission, the difference drops to only 15.4% higher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Canadian Medical Association\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/surveys.cma.ca\/\">physician workforce survey <\/a>revealed that Alberta physicians spend more time doing clinical work than those in other provinces. Accounting for this brings the differential to 13.3% higher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Other provinces\u2019 doctor associations have negotiated increases for 2019\u20132022. If we include those increases in the salary the government uses to calculate their 35%, the adjusted difference drops quite significantly, to merely 5.7% higher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>See the following image from the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.albertadoctors.org\/services\/media-publications\/presidents-letter\/pl-archive\/Flawed-data-equals-flawed-decision-making\">Alberta Medical Association website<\/a> for more information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.albertadoctors.org\/services\/media-publications\/presidents-letter\/pl-archive\/Flawed-data-equals-flawed-decision-making\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"580\" height=\"630\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/Misleading_MacKinnon_Data-scaled.jpg?resize=580%2C630&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4563\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/Misleading_MacKinnon_Data-scaled.jpg?w=2357&amp;ssl=1 2357w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/Misleading_MacKinnon_Data-scaled.jpg?resize=276%2C300&amp;ssl=1 276w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/Misleading_MacKinnon_Data-scaled.jpg?w=1160&amp;ssl=1 1160w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/Misleading_MacKinnon_Data-scaled.jpg?w=1740&amp;ssl=1 1740w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 580px) 100vw, 580px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>As Christine Molnar, AMA President, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.albertadoctors.org\/services\/media-publications\/presidents-letter\/pl-archive\/Flawed-data-equals-flawed-decision-making\">summarizes<\/a>, \u201cOnce proper adjustments are made, Alberta\u2019s average physician compensation is projected to be 5.7 percent higher than our comparator provinces by 2021\/22. But again, context matters, which is why it\u2019s important to point out that this projection is based on current status and does not factor in any government cuts.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Furthermore, the Alberta industrial aggregate wage level, which impacts staff and overhead costs, is 15.4% higher than that in other provinces. According to an independent consultant, accounting for other province wage increases and expected population\u2013doctor ratios, by 2021\u201322, Alberta will actually be <em>behind<\/em> comparator provinces by 2.5%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"580\" height=\"420\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/Screen-Shot-2020-04-10-at-21.17.58.png?resize=580%2C420&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4575\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/Screen-Shot-2020-04-10-at-21.17.58.png?w=1818&amp;ssl=1 1818w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/Screen-Shot-2020-04-10-at-21.17.58.png?resize=300%2C217&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/Screen-Shot-2020-04-10-at-21.17.58.png?resize=768%2C556&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/Screen-Shot-2020-04-10-at-21.17.58.png?resize=1536%2C1112&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/Screen-Shot-2020-04-10-at-21.17.58.png?resize=1200%2C869&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/Screen-Shot-2020-04-10-at-21.17.58.png?resize=600%2C434&amp;ssl=1 600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/Screen-Shot-2020-04-10-at-21.17.58.png?w=1740&amp;ssl=1 1740w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 580px) 100vw, 580px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Even given that Alberta doctors will soon be 2.5% <em>below<\/em> comparator provinces, AMA recognized Alberta\u2019s tough economic realities and offered a 5% across-the-board reduction. Tyler Shandro, on the other hand, introduced cuts unevenly, targeting specific specialties and devastating primary care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Numerous doctors and AMA members warned the health minister about the consequences to patient care and the functioning of the health system if he imposed his targeted cuts. Despite the 5% reduction offered by the AMA being equivalent to the projected savings by his cuts, he proceeded with his hatchet job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-heading\">Myth 2<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>Alberta physicians received 300% increases since 2002<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>18 years is an odd, arbitrary timeframe. Increases in the early-mid 2000s were catching up following Klein\u2019s cuts from the 1990s. Since then, Alberta doctors have not even kept pace with increases to the consumer price index. The fee schedule has not increased in 5 of the last 9 years, and the remaining 4 increased at CPI or less. Plus, doctors have had wages frozen for the last 7 years. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"580\" height=\"359\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/Screen-Shot-2020-04-10-at-21.21.32.png?resize=580%2C359&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4576\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/Screen-Shot-2020-04-10-at-21.21.32.png?w=1870&amp;ssl=1 1870w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/Screen-Shot-2020-04-10-at-21.21.32.png?resize=300%2C185&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/Screen-Shot-2020-04-10-at-21.21.32.png?resize=768%2C475&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/Screen-Shot-2020-04-10-at-21.21.32.png?resize=1536%2C950&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/Screen-Shot-2020-04-10-at-21.21.32.png?resize=1200%2C742&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/Screen-Shot-2020-04-10-at-21.21.32.png?resize=600%2C371&amp;ssl=1 600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/Screen-Shot-2020-04-10-at-21.21.32.png?w=1740&amp;ssl=1 1740w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 580px) 100vw, 580px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-heading\">Myth 3<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>Jason Kenney promised to \u201cmaintain health spending\u201d and a physician budget of $5.4 billion<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This isn\u2019t a complete myth; it\u2019s more like \u201cmyth-leading\u201d. Keeping a flat health budget ignores population increases, aging,  growing complexity of patients and increased numbers of doctors (many of whom were recruited by Alberta Health Service).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"580\" height=\"336\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/Screen-Shot-2020-04-10-at-21.25.13.png?resize=580%2C336&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4577\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/Screen-Shot-2020-04-10-at-21.25.13.png?w=1776&amp;ssl=1 1776w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/Screen-Shot-2020-04-10-at-21.25.13.png?resize=300%2C174&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/Screen-Shot-2020-04-10-at-21.25.13.png?resize=768%2C445&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/Screen-Shot-2020-04-10-at-21.25.13.png?resize=1536%2C891&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/Screen-Shot-2020-04-10-at-21.25.13.png?resize=1200%2C696&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/Screen-Shot-2020-04-10-at-21.25.13.png?resize=600%2C348&amp;ssl=1 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 580px) 100vw, 580px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em>[Editor note: Please also see my posts, \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/2020\/03\/06\/alberta-is-not-maintaining-healthcare-spending\/\">Alberta is not maintaining healthcare spending\u201d<\/a> and \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/2020\/02\/21\/alberta-spends-too-little-on-healthcare-salaries\/\">Alberta spends too little on healthcare salaries<\/a>\u201d, for further exploration of this myth.]<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-heading\">Myth 4<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>Doctors promise to cut costs, but this never yields any savings<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Alberta doctors <em>have<\/em> \u201cbent the cost curve\u201d with savings initiatives and system stewardship changes. All of which were negotiated (and honoured) under the last <em>two<\/em> AMA agreements. They found savings of $438 million, which <em>would<\/em> have been spent otherwise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"580\" height=\"341\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/Screen-Shot-2020-04-10-at-21.27.14.png?resize=580%2C341&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4578\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/Screen-Shot-2020-04-10-at-21.27.14.png?w=1952&amp;ssl=1 1952w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/Screen-Shot-2020-04-10-at-21.27.14.png?resize=300%2C176&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/Screen-Shot-2020-04-10-at-21.27.14.png?resize=768%2C451&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/Screen-Shot-2020-04-10-at-21.27.14.png?resize=1536%2C902&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/Screen-Shot-2020-04-10-at-21.27.14.png?resize=1200%2C705&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/Screen-Shot-2020-04-10-at-21.27.14.png?resize=600%2C352&amp;ssl=1 600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/Screen-Shot-2020-04-10-at-21.27.14.png?w=1740&amp;ssl=1 1740w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 580px) 100vw, 580px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>That $438 million <em>not<\/em> being in physician pockets was a considerable \u201cwin\u201d for the government at the time in partnering with the AMA. But these savings are <em>gone<\/em> from the physicians\u2019 budget, which means that those savings compound annually for the current government, as the billing\/services changes doctors made have not been reversed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-heading\">Myth 5<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>Doctors just increase code utilization to compensate for any reductions\/limits<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Aside from an ugly accusation of inappropriate billing underlying this myth (their myth-take!), this has <em>not<\/em> been shown to be the case. Data obtained directly from Alberta Health itself reveals that doctors have been consistent in their usage of billing codes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"580\" height=\"328\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/Screen-Shot-2020-04-10-at-21.28.19.png?resize=580%2C328&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4579\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/Screen-Shot-2020-04-10-at-21.28.19.png?w=1982&amp;ssl=1 1982w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/Screen-Shot-2020-04-10-at-21.28.19.png?resize=300%2C170&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/Screen-Shot-2020-04-10-at-21.28.19.png?resize=768%2C435&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/Screen-Shot-2020-04-10-at-21.28.19.png?resize=1536%2C870&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/Screen-Shot-2020-04-10-at-21.28.19.png?resize=1200%2C679&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/Screen-Shot-2020-04-10-at-21.28.19.png?resize=1980%2C1121&amp;ssl=1 1980w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/Screen-Shot-2020-04-10-at-21.28.19.png?resize=600%2C340&amp;ssl=1 600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/Screen-Shot-2020-04-10-at-21.28.19.png?w=1740&amp;ssl=1 1740w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 580px) 100vw, 580px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In fact, if you include all Alberta physician fee-for-service payments, then adjust them for inflation, fee-for-service payments have actually <em>declined<\/em> the last 3 years for the average physician in Alberta.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"580\" height=\"433\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/Screen-Shot-2020-04-10-at-21.31.53.png?resize=580%2C433&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4581\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/Screen-Shot-2020-04-10-at-21.31.53.png?w=2000&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/Screen-Shot-2020-04-10-at-21.31.53.png?resize=300%2C224&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/Screen-Shot-2020-04-10-at-21.31.53.png?resize=768%2C573&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/Screen-Shot-2020-04-10-at-21.31.53.png?resize=1536%2C1146&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/Screen-Shot-2020-04-10-at-21.31.53.png?resize=1200%2C895&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/Screen-Shot-2020-04-10-at-21.31.53.png?resize=1980%2C1477&amp;ssl=1 1980w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/Screen-Shot-2020-04-10-at-21.31.53.png?resize=600%2C448&amp;ssl=1 600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/Screen-Shot-2020-04-10-at-21.31.53.png?w=1740&amp;ssl=1 1740w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 580px) 100vw, 580px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In other words, doctors partnered with the previous government to find savings. They delivered and did <em>not<\/em> \u201cgame\u201d the system. Doctors take system sustainability seriously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-heading\">Myth 6<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>Doctors should be responsible for any overtures in the Physician Services Budget<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As demonstrated above, doctors do <em>not<\/em> inappropriately ramp up billings to make up for cuts. Doctors can\u2019t control population, political policies or promises, consumer price index, aging, or the unknown (a  COVID-19 pandemic, for example).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"580\" height=\"424\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/Screen-Shot-2020-04-10-at-21.29.18.png?resize=580%2C424&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4580\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/Screen-Shot-2020-04-10-at-21.29.18.png?w=2064&amp;ssl=1 2064w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/Screen-Shot-2020-04-10-at-21.29.18.png?resize=300%2C219&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/Screen-Shot-2020-04-10-at-21.29.18.png?resize=768%2C562&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/Screen-Shot-2020-04-10-at-21.29.18.png?resize=1536%2C1124&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/Screen-Shot-2020-04-10-at-21.29.18.png?resize=2048%2C1498&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/Screen-Shot-2020-04-10-at-21.29.18.png?resize=1200%2C878&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/Screen-Shot-2020-04-10-at-21.29.18.png?resize=1980%2C1449&amp;ssl=1 1980w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/Screen-Shot-2020-04-10-at-21.29.18.png?resize=600%2C439&amp;ssl=1 600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/Screen-Shot-2020-04-10-at-21.29.18.png?w=1740&amp;ssl=1 1740w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 580px) 100vw, 580px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Doctors recognize that fiscal responsibility and system sustainability are critical for <em>all<\/em> of Alberta. They <em>wanted<\/em> to work with the  current government to keep making changes that incentivize high-quality, evidence-based care, while recognizing that medicine evolves and sometimes stewardship\/changes are needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Despite<\/em> the <a href=\"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/2020\/04\/09\/ama-suing-tyler-shandro-for-over-255m\/\">poor faith shown<\/a> by the health minister in rejecting AMA\u2019s offer of 5% across-the-board reductions, denying doctors the right to arbitration, and tearing up their contract, doctors <em>still<\/em> want a strong Alberta health system and excellent patient care. So they <em>remain<\/em> willing to partner with government towards this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Kathryn\u2019s concluding note: All credit for the analysis\/presentation is to AMA Health Economics staff. Amazing and super talented bevy of economists (whatever groups of econists are called!). My part was merely some minor \u201ctranslating\u201d and wedging into 280 character snippets.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I recently encountered a thread on Twitter outlining several myths that the Alberta health minister keeps perpetuating as he continues fighting against doctors.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4570,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[106],"tags":[85,82,86,94],"class_list":["post-4562","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-alberta","tag-healthcare","tag-politics","tag-tyler-shandro"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/anesthesia-4677401_1920.jpg?fit=1920%2C1280&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4NkW7-1bA","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":4237,"url":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/2020\/03\/06\/alberta-is-not-maintaining-healthcare-spending\/","url_meta":{"origin":4562,"position":0},"title":"Alberta is not maintaining healthcare spending","author":"Kim Siever","date":"6 March 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"The health minister is trying to suggest that Alberta is maintaining spending, assuaging fears that they\u2019re making spending cuts to healthcare.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/02\/doctor-1149149_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/02\/doctor-1149149_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/02\/doctor-1149149_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/02\/doctor-1149149_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/02\/doctor-1149149_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4514,"url":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/2020\/04\/21\/a-list-of-alberta-communities-losing-doctor-care\/","url_meta":{"origin":4562,"position":1},"title":"A list of Alberta communities losing doctor care","author":"Kim Siever","date":"21 April 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"According to the AMA, 400 clinics in Alberta are laying off support staff or considering closing. Here are some of them.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/hospital-661274_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C674&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/hospital-661274_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C674&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/hospital-661274_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C674&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/hospital-661274_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C674&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/hospital-661274_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C674&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4541,"url":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/2020\/04\/09\/ama-suing-tyler-shandro-for-over-255m\/","url_meta":{"origin":4562,"position":2},"title":"AMA suing Tyler Shandro for over $255M","author":"Kim Siever","date":"9 April 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"The Alberta Medical Association is suing Tyler Shandro, the Alberta Minister of Health, for over $255 million.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/justice-2060093_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/justice-2060093_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/justice-2060093_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/justice-2060093_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/justice-2060093_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4734,"url":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/2020\/04\/20\/alberta-donated-millions-of-ppes-gave-workers-here-poor-quality-ppes\/","url_meta":{"origin":4562,"position":3},"title":"Alberta donated millions of masks; workers here got poor quality ones","author":"Kim Siever","date":"20 April 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"On 11 April 2020, the Government of Alberta announced that they\u2019d be sending millions of masks to BC, Ontario & Qu\u00e9bec. Now, healthcare workers say they\u2019re left with poor quality masks.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/coronavirus-4994031_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/coronavirus-4994031_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/coronavirus-4994031_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/coronavirus-4994031_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/coronavirus-4994031_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4003,"url":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/2019\/11\/30\/tax-cuts-are-job-cuts-a-running-total\/","url_meta":{"origin":4562,"position":4},"title":"Tax cuts are job cuts: a running total","author":"Kim Siever","date":"30 November 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"In this article, I will keep a running total of the number of public sector job losses in Alberta.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Politics&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Politics","link":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/category\/politics\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/11\/knife-316655_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C794&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/11\/knife-316655_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C794&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/11\/knife-316655_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C794&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/11\/knife-316655_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C794&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/11\/knife-316655_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C794&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4592,"url":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/2020\/04\/13\/alberta-is-not-maintaining-education-spending\/","url_meta":{"origin":4562,"position":5},"title":"Alberta is not maintaining education spending","author":"Kim Siever","date":"13 April 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"The education minister is trying to suggest that Alberta is maintaining spending, assuaging fears that they\u2019re making spending cuts to education.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/child-830988_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/child-830988_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/child-830988_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/child-830988_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/child-830988_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4562","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4562"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4562\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4594,"href":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4562\/revisions\/4594"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4570"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4562"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4562"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4562"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}