November 14, 2024

This week’s Vitals: 661 words / 2.5 min read

See top stories about fixing burdensome insurance and employer forms, a Canada Post strike update, and an invitation to join our holiday open house!

TOP STORIES

01

Help Fix Burdensome Insurance and Employer Forms

260 words / 1 min read / For all members

We need your help, as part of our work to eliminate sick notes and simplify common third-party forms from insurance companies, employers, and educational institutions. We are looking for the best and worst forms that cross your desk from third parties.

Fixing these forms won’t be easy. There are tens of thousands of employers, hundreds of educational institutions and many insurance companies we need to work with. The good news is we have built strong partnerships with these stakeholders, and they are open to change. 

Learn more and share your feedback.

02

You're Invited to Our Open House

December 2 between 3:30 and 7 p.m. / Open to all members

All members are invited to our Doctors Manitoba Holiday Open House! Come connect with colleagues over some refreshments and appetizers. Our DRMB staff will also be on hand, should you have questions about billing, insurance, benefits or other matters. 

• When: Monday, December 2, from 3:30 to 7 p.m. 
• Where: DRMB @ Bannatyne Office, located at the Joe Doupe Concourse, 2^nd floor of the Basic Medical Sciences Building at the UM Bannatyne campus medical school — see map here)
• Cost: Free for members
• Registration: Click here to register to help us plan refreshments.

03

Nominate a Humanitarian of the Year

296 words / 1 min read / For all members

Nominations have opened for the Doctors Manitoba Awards. You can help recognize and celebrate a colleague's accomplishments. The deadline is December 15.

This week, we are profiling one of the awards available, the Dr. Jack Armstrong Humanitarian Award, awarded to celebrate a current or former member of Doctors Manitoba for their outstanding contributions to improving human well-being or their commitment to community service.

The namesake of this honour, Dr. Jack Armstrong (1939−2006) was well known for his commitment to improving health care for First Nations people, his dedication to his patients, and his commitment to volunteerism. A past President of both Doctors Manitoba (1987−88) and the Canadian Medical Association (1996−97), Dr. Armstrong was a beloved pediatrician in Winnipeg. 

WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO WIN: Current or recent members of Doctors Manitoba demonstrating a contribution to community service or humanitarianism with a commitment to inclusiveness.

Recent winners include:

Dr. John Richard (Dick) Middleton Smith (2024) (posthumous) Dr. Smith devoted his 52-year career to the understanding, advocacy, prevention, and care for people living with HIV. He worked tirelessly to break the stigma and fear of AIDS and to provide non-judgmental, compassionate, harm reduction-centred care.

Dr. Tamara McColl (2023) Dr. McColl has been a pillar of support for the Ukrainian community, both locally and as part of medical relief efforts in Ukraine. She helped form the Ukrainian Canadian Congress Community Mobilization Committee, traveled to Ukraine to provide medical care with Canadian Medical Assistance Teams and the Canada Ukraine Surgical Aid Program and was deployed as the CMAT Medical Lead for Team ECHO.

Dr. Joss Reimer (2022) As Medical Lead of the Manitoba Vaccine Task Force, Dr. Reimer weighed emerging evidence and sought medical advice from physician colleagues to make the best possible decisions to protect Manitobans from COVID-19 through vaccination.

HEALTH SYSTEM UPDATES

542 words / 2 min read / For all members

Get important updates this week from the health system and beyond, including:

• Canada Post Strike and disruption to physician practices
• Indigenous Education Awards
• Invitation for study for equitable sexual health care, including for diverse Muslim people living in Manitoba.

Check our weekly Healthy System Updates here

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Here are the most read and important recent stories, in case you missed them:

• Endoscopy Form Reminder
• Doctors Manitoba has drafted a submission to the Manitoba government with bold proposals on improving access for your patients. This includes recommendations to help family physicians and specialists add capacity for more visits, testing and surgeries. Read more here.
• The PHANTOM Survey seeks to explore the experiences regarding authorship across different career stages. Take the short 5-minute survey here. 

EVENTS and CPD

BIPOC learners and physicians paint night

Nov 29 beginning at 6 p.m.

Join us on Nov 29 at our Doctors Manitoba office on Desjardins Drive. You’ll be able to learn more about the peer support group and have some fun painting together. Painting supplies, instruction and light refreshments provided. Click here to register for paint night.

DRMB Book Club: Bad Cree By Jessica Johns

Nov 29 / virtual / all members welcome

The Doctors Manitoba Book Club is reading the winner of the MacEwan Book of the Year Award, Bad Cree by Jessica Johns — who will be joining our book club event! Join us on the evening of November 21. All members are welcome. Join here.

Physician Leadership Institute (PLI) course

December 6 and 13 / virtual / Reduced fee

Focus on conflict management and negotiation with Dr. Scott Comber on December 6 and 13, both days from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.. Offered by Doctors Manitoba for a reduced fee of $250. Space is limited for this virtual training, register early to secure your spot. You'll need a CMA.ca account to register. If you can't access your existing account, reach out to memberservicecentre@cma.ca or call 1-888-855-2555. Register here.

Rapid Access to Addictions Medicine (RAAM) Knowledge Exchange Days

This weekly virtual series will explore local resources as well as the challenges, successes, and future of addiction medicine in Manitoba. Topics include the New RAAM Digital Front Door (Now Live!) on November 20, the Managed Alcohol Program and Safer Consumption Sites on November 27, and a panel discussion on Medical Withdrawal Services across Manitoba on December 4. 

View the RAAM Knowledge Exchange Days program for details and daily schedules.

Billing for Addictions in Primary Care Webinar 

Dec 16 / Virtual

Interested in incorporating Addictions Care into your practice? Join Doctors Manitoba's Billing for Addictions Medicine in Primary Care Webinar, December 16 beginning at 5:30pm. Register here!

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

Visit DRMB.ca/Bannatyne for more information on our Bannatyne office and to view the full calendar.

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