Following a recommendation from district presidents, the NBMS made the decision to transition away from the annual President’s Tours in 2024. In their place, a series of five Regional Forums focused on engagement, learning and the identification of regional and subregional issues were introduced in the first half of this year.
The forums were held in person over two days in Saint Andrews, Bathurst, Saint John, Florenceville, and Moncton, and featured discussions of an economic nature, focusing on the transformation of primary care and the health and well-being of members, as well as updates on the ongoing NBMS governance review. There were presentations from NBMS leadership, opportunities for member questions and discussion, and chances to socialize with colleagues. Three accredited sessions were offered over the two days:
Economics and Negotiations Consultation Session
John Maher, Chief of Negotiations and Physician Compensation and René Boudreau, Chief Executive Officer, NBMS
NBMS Governance Review and Best Practices Session
Tim Ross, NBMS General Counsel, Dr. Ann Collins, Chair, NBMS Governance Review Committee and Dr. Carl Boucher, Vice Chair, NBMS Governance Review Committee
The Future of Primary Health Care
John Maher, Chief of Negotiations and Physician Compensation and René Boudreau, Chief Executive Officer, NBMS
Feedback from all five Regional Forums was encouragingly positive, and the level of engagement from members was heartening. As one attendee put it, “I really enjoyed the past two days, being able to speak to people at the NBMS about things that I feel are important. It feels like everyone is listening. There was a lot of constructive discussion. It looks like we are moving in the right direction.”
In total, over 300 physicians participated in the Regional Forums, with many family members also joining for meals and social activities over each of the weekends. The NBMS is particularly appreciative of the members who took time out of their busy schedules to attend multiple forums in different locations across the province. Your level of commitment to improving the working conditions of your colleagues and the quality of care available to your patients is beyond inspiring.
Based on the success of this new format, plans are already underway to host another series of Regional Forums in 2025. More details will be communicated in the coming months. We encourage all members to plan to attend one or more of these events and take advantage of the opportunity to connect with colleagues and provide valuable perspectives on health system issues.
“The regional forum is a perfect opportunity for doctors to share their ideas. This will allow the Medical Society to prioritize the issues that are important to us in order to contribute to the improvement of the profession.”
Jim Johnson, Communications Specialist