 
President and CEO's messageIn 2011, Canada's healthcare environment continued to show the strain of increased demands and resource pressures, placing greater demands on physicians. Within this challenging context, Canadian physicians continue to turn to the Canadian Medical Protective Association for medico-liability protection, confident that we will defend their professional integrity. CMPA membership grew to over 83,000 members in 2011 – a 3.4% increase from the previous year. However, member requests for advice and assistance increased at a much greater rate, reflecting the difficult environment in which our members practice. We provide a wide range of relevant services to our members, through a variety of channels that respond to the hectic pace of medical practice and diverse needs. Members have told us they value the professional, confidential and personal advice and assistance available to them. Whether it is our highly-regarded quarterly magazine CMPA Perspective or the growing library of risk-management information and education available on our website, the CMPA helps members to reduce medical risk in their practice. The CMPA is responsive to our members' changing needs and members are increasingly using web-based services to complete member administration, access risk management information or securely transmit medico-legal information. The CMPA recognizes the importance of knowledge transfer in advancing the safety of medicine and we continue to collaborate with like-minded organizations by providing evidence-based knowledge to improve the quality of care. The CMPA also works with key healthcare stakeholders to ensure the broader policy and regulatory environments support physicians in the delivery of care and contribute to a safe and stable Canadian healthcare system. While financial markets remain volatile, the CMPA remains in a fully funded position. Assets are in place to meet future forecasted liabilities and members and their patients can be confident the Association is well positioned to meet its medico-legal protection mandate. The Association's elected council and its management team remain committed to the responsible stewardship of the resources members have entrusted to us. This annual report describes how, within a difficult environment, the CMPA continued to deliver on its responsibilities. The coming years, with their forecasts of limited investment returns, increasing medico-legal costs, and growing pressures on physicians, will not be easy for doctors or for the CMPA. However and as they have since 1901, CMPA members can rely on the Association to be there to protect their medico-legal interests.  Michael Lawrence, MB BS, CCFP President  John E. Gray, MD, CCFP, FCFP Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer |
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