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From the Primary Care Alliance
The fourth wave of the pandemic appears to have crested and while the case counts and hospitalizations are heading in the right direction, they are still at the peak levels we had with the third wave. There is still uncertainty about what a future wave could look like with the emergence of new variants and their interaction with vaccines, as well as the fact several pockets of the province remain low in vaccine uptake.
It is clear that many family practices are struggling right now with burnout, finances and other issues given all that’s happened in the past two years. Indeed, it’s fair to admit that when you’re fighting to keep going it is hard to think about the future of primary care or its renewal and improvement. If I can offer some encouragement, it would be to suggest that by continuing your efforts in Patient’s Medical Home development, you may help your practice and yourself. Collaborating with your team and working on practice improvement can offer protection against burnout and give teams a positive recovery focal point after a difficult period.
There are many opportunities to engage in renewal activities that can provide the incentives and strength to continue your progress. Requesting and reviewing your Health Quality Council of Alberta panel report; accessing PCN Practice Facilitator supports; joining us in the Physician Champion Network; participating in the Alberta College of Family Physician Collaborative Mentorship Network; or exploring the Physician Learning Program.
Any of these activities can help you and your team reconnect to the positive aspects of your practice and renew your focus on our most valuable work - supporting patients.
Take care and stay safe,
Dr. Brad Bahler
Chair
Primary Care Alliance
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