Louis Hugo Francescutti

MD, PhD, MPH, FRCPC, FACPM, CCFP, FACP (Hon), ICD-D

Nominee for President-Elect for the Canadian Medical Association (CMA)

When I first entered University of Alberta’s medical school, a highly-respected physician confronted me with poignant and prophetic words: “Becoming a physician is one of the greatest honours that society can bestow on you.” He was right. I graduated as a physician close to 25 years ago and yet I continue to be humbled by the tremendous responsibility and the privilege of serving people in a healing profession.

As an emergency and preventive medicine physician, I look into the eyes of patients and see them reaching out to someone they can trust to help them. There is nothing more rewarding than helping people get better; this is my philosophy in practice and in life.

Recently, the Alberta Medical Association sent out a call for nominations for the position of President-Elect for the Canadian Medical Association (CMA) for the 2012 - 2013 term. Several colleagues strongly encouraged me to consider running. After much deliberation, I have recognized that I have both the inspiration and the responsibility to respond. I have gladly accepted their challenge. I am now asking for your support.

As my term as the 41st President of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada draws to a close, I am reaping the benefits of earning the trust and respect of various national and international healthcare and educational organizations. I am eager to continue to work with them for our mutual benefit. Meaningful solutions need to be found at all levels of health care delivery and we physicians need to be the leaders of innovation.

These are exciting times in health care. The pressures that we face seem to increase daily. Yet with appropriate resolve, I strongly believe that we can tackle challenges before us and create opportunities to improve the system. Our governments are looking to physicians to lead the process of reengagement, recommitment and reengineering of health care delivery, as we know it. As physicians, we know that we can do better. The CMA is ready; its new strategic plan is robust and well aligned for the future.

No one person can change things single handedly. I will work with you to find solutions at all levels of health care delivery and show that physicians can lead and innovate and collaborate with all stakeholders. I will work hard to earn your respect as we tackle the complex issues before us. For example, we must:

• advocate for a well funded and managed public health care system;
• continue to move the health care quality and patient safety agenda forward;
• strengthen the social determinants of health for all Canadians;
• deal with over 4,000 Canadian students studying medicine abroad and wanting to return home;
• engage Canadians in end of life care issues;
• assess the on-going competency of physicians in training and in practice; and,
• work more effectively in multidisciplinary teams.

The CMA should lead the dialogue towards meaningful discussion and action. Being self-regulated is a privilege, not a right; we must take ownership as medical professionals or others will do it for us.

Il est très important que le Président le l’Association médicale canadienne puisse communiquer dans les deux langues officielles, surtout pour les entretiens avec les médias. Il va de même pour établir des liens avec les membres de l’association, dans la langue de leur choix.

I encourage you to contact me and discuss my interest in serving you as President-Elect of the CMA. I can easily be reached at louis.francescutti@ualberta.ca or my cell is 780-932-7187.

I’m honoured to be in the medical profession but more so in the company of its people.