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This week’s Vitals is 1,400 words or a 5 minute read. If you only have 1 minute, here are the highlights:
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New Specialty Wait Times Report: A new report shows how long patients wait to have a consultation with a medical specialist, helping to shine a spotlight on the serious gaps in our system for both referring and consulting physicians. We’re planning a major summit this fall to review the referral and requisition process and recommend concrete solutions.
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Share Your Views on Administrative Burden: Please take some time before Aug 21 to complete a survey about paperwork and administrative burdens in your practice. It will help to set provincial and national priorities for action.
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AI Scribe Hub: We have launched a new hub to help physicians understand the potential of AI scribes and how to get started.
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Reminder to Register: Physicians should register by Aug 15 to offer respiratory illness vaccines in their practice. You are being encouraged to offer both flu and COVID vaccines this year.
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Anti-Indigenous Racism Training: We have a summary of a recent CPSM update on their mandate for this important training, offering answers to common questions about how physicians can comply by the October 2027 deadline.
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Transition to eClaims for Billing: If you haven’t already transitioned your billing claims over to eClaims, make the switch as soon as possible to avoid disruptions!
Plus, we are excited to announce we will have a pro golfer at our Golf Tournament on September 2. All skill levels are welcome. Learn more below, and register today!
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New Specialty Wait Times Report
A new Statistics Canada report sheds light on how long patients are waiting to see a medical specialist for an initial consultation once they have been referred by a physician – data that confirms frustrations long felt by both consulting and referring physicians.
Doctors Manitoba is working hard to help fix the pains that referring and consulting physicians both feel, by reducing the roughly one week spent every year on inefficient and overly complicated processes. In addition to advocating for more training and recruitment, we are planning a summit this fall with key stakeholders to take a broad view of the entire referral process to see how we can make it more efficient and get rid of delays and bottlenecks. This will include referring and consulting physicians, as well as decision makers and regulators. Stay tuned for more details!
Learn more about Manitoba's specialist wait times here.
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Share Your Views – Administrative Burden
We are encouraging all physicians, residents and students to participate in the first ever national survey on administrative burden in medicine. Your feedback in this survey will help to set national and provincial priorities as it relates to reducing the time you waste on paperwork and unnecessary administrative tasks. The survey is open until August 21.
đź“Ł Click here to take the survey.
The survey is being conducted as a partnership between the Canadian Medical Association (CMA) and the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB).
We know taking a survey is an administrative request, but it’s important for the CMA and Doctors Manitoba to hear what’s weighing you down so we can advocate for solutions. The survey should take approximately 10-15 minutes, and it is confidential.
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AI Scribe Hub
Doctors Manitoba has developed a new AI Scribe Hub to help you navigate adopting this promising new technology into your practice.
Many physicians using AI scribes in Manitoba report saving 30 – 60 minutes or more per day on charting and documentation. However, most physicians we hear from aren’t sure if an AI scribe is right for them or how to go about getting started. We hear from physicians who are concerned about privacy and other rules, are not sure where to start, or feel overwhelmed with different product options.
As part of our work to help you reduce your administrative burden, we have a growing list of resources available for you to learn more and get started. It includes:
- How AI Scribes work
- A list of vendors pre-vetted by our partners at Canadian Health Infoway
- Your responsibilities when it comes to privacy, consent and accuracy
- Downloadable poster to display and inform patients that they may be asked about their willingness to have an AI scribe involved in their appointments
đź”—Check out our AI Scribe Hub.
You can always send your questions or suggestions to practiceadvice@doctorsmanitoba.ca.
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Respiratory Illness Season Preparedness
As noted in our last message, registration is open for health care providers to receive influenza and COVID-19 vaccines from provincial stock, as part of the 2025-26 Vaccine-Preventable Respiratory Illnesses Immunization Program.
This registration is required to receive the vaccines shipments. Providers are strongly recommended to register by no later than August 15, 2025. Learn more here.
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Getting Healthy Golf Guest: Pro Tips for Players
We are trying something new at our annual golf tournament – welcoming a pro golfer who will be on-site offering some guidance on your shot.
⛳ We’re welcoming pro golfer Brett White to this year’s tournament on September 2 at Southwood Golf and Country Club, and there’s still time for you to register!
🏌️ White made golf history last Sunday at the 2025 Commissionaires Ottawa Open, shooting a final-round 59, only the third sub-60 in PGA Tour Americas’ history. The round included a 63-foot eagle putt on 18, part of the largest final-round comeback in Tour history, overcoming a seven-shot deficit and ultimately winning in a three-man playoff.
🩺 White’s journey in professional golf included getting his game back through intense rehabilitation after a diagnosis of viral encephalitis in 2017 that left him unable to walk. You can read an account of that time in Golf Digest.
We’re looking forward to seeing you at Southwood! Our Golf Tournament is for all skill levels, with beginners and seasoned golfers all welcomed. Tickets are $200 each, or $800 for a foursome. Get yours today!
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Transition to eClaims for Billing ASAP
As part of the transition to an entirely web-based, more user-friendly claims submission portal, Shared Health reminds providers and staff that the old billing submission platform, WebLink, will be shut down very soon. Those who have not yet migrated their claims submission system from WebLink to the new eClaims Portal should plan to do so immediately to avoid disruption. Doing so will maintain the flow of claims to Manitoba Health as well as cash flow to clinics. Manitoba Health reports that the new eClaims Portal offers significant advantages, such as multiple file submissions on the same day and weekends, the ability to access past remittances, and to upload queries electronically.
Check out our article on the transition from earlier this year.
If you have any further questions, we are here to help. Email us at practiceadvice@doctorsmanitoba.ca.
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Anti-Indigenous Racism Training
The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba (CPSM) is answering your questions about cultural safety and anti-Indigenous racism training. The new mandate focuses on ensuring all registrants who practice in Manitoba share a fundamental understanding of the impacts of systemic anti-Indigenous racism in our health care system and the Indigenous patients and families you care for.
In an email update sent out this week, Dr. Jayson Stoffman, Medical Consultant for the Restorative Practices Program, answers the why, what, and how about the training.
Read our full coverage here.
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Publicly Funded Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing
The Manitoba government is now funding primary Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT) for certain pregnant patients 35 years and above in addition to reflex NIPT testing for all pregnant women with a positive Maternal Serum Screening (MSS). This announcement now makes Manitoba one of four provinces to provide funding for Dynacare’s Harmony Prenatal Test, joining BC, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Ontario. Previously, patients had to use their private insurance or pay $495 out of pocket.
The Harmony screening test analyzes cell-free DNA (cfDNA) in maternal blood to provide a risk assessment, not a diagnosis, of fetal chromosomal or genetic conditions, and fetal sex determination, and should be considered in the context of other clinical criteria. Follow up confirmatory testing based on Harmony results for Trisomy 21, 18, or 13 could reveal maternal chromosomal or genetic conditions in some cases.
Key resources are available here:
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CervixCheck Survey
CancerCare Manitoba’s CervixCheck program is working to transition from primary Pap testing to primary HPV testing for cervical cancer screening. As part of the transition, CCMB is considering providing direct referral to colposcopy for patients. Take the survey.
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Wildfires & Measles
We continue to monitor the impact of Manitoba’s record wildfire season and measles outbreak on our health care system.
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Wildfires: High winds and dry conditions throughout the province are creating a very high fire danger across much of Manitoba, as firefighters work to control 127 wildfires. There have been a total of 351 this year. Even where there are no fires burning, smoke is driving air quality conditions into hazardous territories. Doctors Manitoba President Dr. Nichelle Desilets spoke with the Brandon Sun this week about the harmful effects on Manitobans’ health. Check out the latest on our Doctors Manitoba Wildfires page which is updated regularly with information curated for physicians.
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Measles: Manitoba now has 165 confirmed measles cases, with a total of 46 so far for the month of July. We’re keeping track of the province’s updates and resources for you and your patients on the Doctors Manitoba Measles page.
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Spruce Woods By-election August 26
The Spruce Woods by-election is set for August 26. The constituency, surrounding Brandon, has gone without an MLA since March 24 when PC MLA Grant Jackson resigned to run for federal office.
We have been monitoring ER disruptions, shift vacancies, and other issues in the region, and want to ensure current and long-term issues and ideas are on our radar, so we are positioned well to advocate on your behalf during the by-election. For physicians practicing in the Spruce Woods area, we'd love to know both what you're concerned about and what is working well in hospital, PCH and community-based settings.
If you can, please take a few minutes to send your insights to practiceadvice@doctorsmanitoba.ca.
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Here are the most-read and important recent stories, in case you missed them:
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811 Opportunity: Shared Health is seeking physician feedback as plans develop to expand Health Links - Info Santé into a 24-hour Virtual Integrated Clinical Service staffed by family doctors and nurse practitioners. The service will also be available through a more accessible three-digit phone number: 811. Get details here.
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Billing with no PHIN: Physicians are now able to invoice Regional Health Authorities for services provided to certain patients who do not have a valid Manitoba Health Card. Read more about the Good Faith Billing with no PHIN process here.
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Bombers Discount #ForTheW! Doctors Manitoba and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers have partnered for the 2025 season, and this includes an exclusive discount for members of about 20-25%! Next up is the matchup Friday, August 14 vs Ottawa Redblacks. To redeem the offer, go to bluebombers.com/DOCTORS and use the offer code DOCTORS.
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We feature events planned by Doctors Manitoba, as well as other events submitted by the medical community to share and connect with their peers.
Featured event:
2025 Paul Wawryko Memorial Run
đź‘ź 5k & 2k
🗓️ September 27, 2025
đź•• 6 p.m.
đź“Ť UPDATED: Asper Jewish Community Campus of Winnipeg, 123 Doncaster St. Wellington Crescent Race Route
This event is being held in loving memory of Dr. Paul Wawryko, who passed away in December of 2023. Proceeds from the event will be used to fund an annual scholarship for the department of Pathology. Register here.
Follow @paul_wawryko_memorial_run on Instagram for the latest!
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More events:
Information on Peer Support for Physicians: Evidence and Ways to Access Support, Tuesday, September 16, Virtual, Join Dr. Alexis Botkin for an overview of peer support. Learn more and register here.
Cultivating Wellbeing for Health Professionals, September 21 – 26, Cortes Island, Strathcona, BC, Canada. Learn more and register here.
Bug Day, October 23, 7:55 a.m. – 4 p.m., Virtual, Nationally and internationally recognized experts will present timely topics in infectious diseases and public health at Manitoba’s largest healthcare education event. Learn more and register here.
Family Medicine Forum (FMF), November 5 – 8, Winnipeg. FMF is Canada’s largest and most comprehensive annual conference for family physicians hosted by the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC). Learn more and register here.
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We are here to support the whole physician.
Every step of the way.
Your health & well-being are important to us.
Visit DRMB.ca/HELP to connect to support services or call 1.844.433.3762
For all other support, including benefits and insurance support,
career resources or practice advice please
email general@doctorsmanitoba.ca or call 204.985.5888
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Visit DRMB.ca/Bannatyne for more information on our Bannatyne office and to view the full calendar.
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