Alberta Association of Genetic Counsellors (AAGC)

2024 Annual General Meeting

Agenda

• Board introductions & financial report (Amy)

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• AAGC membership survey (Julia H & Katy)

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• AAGC logo and website (Kimberly)

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• Vote on membership fees

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• Regulation update and advocacy (Margaret)

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• Liability insurance (Amy)

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Current Board Members 2024-25

Amy Davis: President

Stephanie Hoang: Vice-president

Julia Appleby: Treasurer

Katy Skora: Secretary

Julia Heaton: Director-at-large

Margaret Lilley: Director-at-large

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Kimberly Dornan: Brand & Web Design Working Group

Alberta Association of Genetic Counsellors

Financial Statement for the Year Ending June 30, 2024

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Income: $0.00�

Disbursements: $0.00�

Assets: $0.00�

Liabilities: $0.00

Objectives of the �Alberta Association of Genetic Counsellors

AAGC Membership Survey

• Asked membership about views on regulation, support for different routes towards regulation, possibility of membership fees, and logo and branding

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• Survey sent to 62 AAGC members in June 2024
• Includes 53 board-certified or board-eligible GCs working in Alberta, 7 GCs based outside of Alberta, two non-GC members

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• 32 responses received
• 31 confirmed they were board-certified or board-eligible GCs working in Alberta
• 1 did not answer this question

AAGC Website (survey results)

• 29/32 respondents supported a $5-10/year AAGC membership fee to maintain an association website

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• 13 additional comments suggested using the $1500 provided by CAGC towards creation of a website

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AAGC Logo (survey results)

…..and the winner is……

AAGC Logo!

AAGC Website (future website)

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• All AAGC objectives would benefit from increased exposure, and that means an online presence

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• Other Provincial GC associations have websites (ON, QC)

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• We have progressed with sourcing necessary help with website design for AAGC.

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• There will be a cost for creation of a website, as well as a cost for ongoing maintenance.

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• This will be a large project. We are looking for at least 1-2 additional members to help out.

Membership Vote

Should the AAGC charge an annual $20 membership fee?

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• Yes
• No

Regulation Update (survey results)

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Regulation Update (survey results)

Regulation Update (survey results)

Regulation Update (survey results)

Asked for feedback about joining an existing college:

• College of Physicians and Surgeons of AB
• College of Registered Nurses of AB
• College of Alberta Psychologists
• College of Midwives of Alberta

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It’s tricky because we aren’t any of those things

I would be in support of any of these

I am hesitant to join a college that doesn’t understand our profession

I feel the goal of regulation is so important that any college that agrees to explain their mandate is a good choice

As long as we can order testing

Regulation Update

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CPSA: we are not a good fit

Gov of AB: initially promising, now stalled

College of registered nurses

College of Midwives of AB

Alberta Association of Clinical Laboratory Doctoral Scientists

Nurse Practitioners Association of AB

College of Alberta Psychologists: adding counselling therapists

Canadian association of Physician assistants

Liability Insurance Update

• Sept 2023 - Received quote from insurance broker Gallagher for a group policy with CFC Underwriting

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• January 2024 - Liability Insurance Working Group (LIWG) expanded to include cross country representation (BC, AB, ON, NS)

• January 2024 - Gallagher/CFC Underwriting suggested proceeding with a pilot project to better understand GC scope of practice and determine preferred pricing structure

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• March 2024 - Recruitment for pilot project through the CAGC-Listserv and LIWG personal networks

• April 2024 - Pilot project participants completed CFC Underwriting healthcare application form
• Assessed annual income, percentage breakdown of services provided, number of patient encounters, history of previous liability insurance

Liability Insurance Update

• Sept 2024 - Switched insurance brokers, we are now working with Wilson M. Beck (WMB) Insurance Services who will administer the preferred pricing proposal as outlined by CFC Underwriting
• Nov 2024 - WMB is working on creating a shortened application form, FAQ document, and finalizing details surrounding the administrative process to submit insurance applications

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Adjournment

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