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x e c u t i v e d i r e c t o r ' s m e s s
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NLMA agenda focused on three important initiatives |
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Robert
Ritter, Executive Director |
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I devote this
column to three important initiatives that the NLMA will pursue
vigorously for the foreseeable future. |
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Throughout history the medical profession has been revered by
society in a unique and formidable way. The most precious of all
assets, human life, is entrusted to the physician and there is
perhaps no parallel to the doctor-patient relationship. References
to physicians as the gatekeepers, custodians or trustees of the
health care system reflect the public’s perception that the
profession has an inherent obligation to provide leadership on
matters that pertain to the provision of medical care. The medical
community of this province fulfilled its leadership obligations
effectively during our last negotiations with government some 18
months ago. Our mission was to protect vital physician recruitment
and retention and to ensure quality, safe medical care.
One of
the great ironies that we face today is that while medical science
has achieved technical advances that were unimaginable a generation
ago, the capacity of the system to provide sustainable, adequate
care for all its citizens is extremely fragile. Although this is a
distressing reality for our entire nation, it is a more acute and
complex challenge in our province because of the strained fiscal
situation. As the recently elected provincial government sets out to
remedy our economic problems, how will the medical profession
fulfill its leadership obligations? Although the challenges are
many, I would like to devote this column to three important
initiatives that the NLMA has embarked upon over the last few months
and will continue to pursue vigorously for the foreseeable future.
In our
last issue of Nexus,
I discussed the
enormous opportunities that modern information technology (IT)
offers in the improvement of patient care as well as the
effective management and control of the health care system. The
transformation of IT potential into a smooth functioning and
effective health information system is an endeavor of gigantic
proportion and will require the expertise and cooperation of many
stakeholders. There is no doubt that in the next decade the
management of medical information will be electronically driven. The
lifeblood of a successful system will flow from the information that
is captured each time there is an encounter between a patient and a
doctor. We must therefore be the driving force in building a
reliable and secure medical information system that will be
uncompromising in its application to patient care.
In the
coming weeks and months, we will be seeking your input and providing
you with all of the necessary resources such as equipment, software,
technical support and training to ensure a successful outcome.
Although it seems as if the last round of negotiations with
government were concluded only a short while ago, we must begin to
plan in earnest now. During the next six to eight months we will be
inviting all members to contribute to planning efforts through a
variety of channels. The quality and the impact of our efforts will
be directly proportional to the level of your participation in the
process. As before, our focus will be on preserving the right
numbers and mix of medical professionals as well as ensuring safe
working conditions and healthy quality of life for all our
practitioners. The over-riding principle of sustainable, quality
care for the people of this province remains the core of our
mission.
Another
irony in the current medical paradigm concerns the situation in
which physicians are unable to live by the very advice they confer
to their patients. The current working conditions of physicians in
this province impede healthy behavior and lifestyle. During the
coming period, the NLMA will be devoting a great deal of attention
to better understanding the social and health problems of physicians
and to developing appropriate preventative and promotional
strategies.
The
days ahead will be exciting and challenging for the people of
Newfoundland and Labrador. The health care agenda will be at the
centre of much controversy and debate. And the NLMA will be right
there. |
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Nexus
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Nexus
DEFINED
A connected group or series; a bond, a connection.
Nexus is
published quarterly for Newfoundland and Labrador's physicians. It is a forum for
the exchange of views, ideas and information for members.
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