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Ruth Collins-Nakai
President-elect, the Canadian Medical Association
Affectionately referred to as "Dr. Ruth" by her patients, Ruth Collins-Nakai's sunny bedside manner will be tested by one of the most pressure-filled posts in Canadian medicine, the presidency of the Canadian Medical Association. Now, more than ever, is this leadership role a crucial one. With the recent Supreme Court decision allowing the use of private insurance to access health care, the floodgates of challenges to the Canada Health Act are sure to be opened. The Edmonton-based pediatric cardiologist has never shied away from challenges, either inside the operating room - introducing innovative procedures such as cardiac ultrasounds at the University of Alberta - or in the medical establishment. The Pincher Creek native became the first woman to head the Alberta Medical Association in 1987 and later became the first female - and first Canadian - to chair the board of governors of the American College of Cardiology. Closer to home, she also served as a member of Premier Ralph Klein's commission on the future of health care. When her one-term role as CMA president begins in August, she will head the organization of more than 57,000 physicians. - WG
What is the biggest challenge facing Canada's medical establishment and how would you respond to it?
The biggest challenge facing the medical establishment is the ability and flexibility to provide care to Canadians who need it. We are trying to respond to the challenge by working with all health care providers in Canada to look at innovative ways of delivering care, by working with all governments to try to train more health care providers of all types, by working with public health to make sure that we implement the public health strategies that we know keep people healthy such as immunizations and avoidance of tobacco products, and finally, working with the public to encourage healthy living.
Who do you think is the greatest Albertan ever?
It depends on your perspective. In medicine, there have been greats such as Mary Percy Jackson, a pioneering doctor in northern Alberta or Dr. Lionel McLeod who started the Alberta Heritage Medical Research Foundation. There are people in aviation like Wop May, who flew diphtheria antitoxin to patients, and Max Ward, who put Alberta on the map. Chief Crowfoot tried so hard to protect his Blackfoot people from the loss of the buffalo. There are people like the Famous Five who successfully campaigned to the British Parliament to have women declared "persons." But I haven't even mentioned our current greats.
In 100 years, will you warrant your own chapter in the history books, a footnote to great events or a single Google hit?
With regard to my place in the future, I do not think it is relevant, as I do not do what I do so as to earn any type of immortality, but to do the best I can and hope that it makes a positive difference and that I leave the world a slightly better place than I found it.
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