Our Impact

Every June, Doctors of BC and the Joint Collaborative Committees join Canadians in recognizingNational Indigenous History Month. This is a time to acknowledge the rich cultures, traditions,and stories of First … Continued

Recently, the Ministry of Health decided to decommission the Private Physician Network (PPN). We are here to help you navigate this change, with supports provided by the Family Practice Services Committee in collaboration with the Specialist Services Committee.

The Joint Collaborative Committees (JCCs), a partnership between Doctors of BC and the BC government, are hosting spring Community-Based Experiential Learning sessions in collaboration with Len Pierre Consulting.

These sessions provide cultural safety and humility teachings through immersive learning and provide opportunities for ongoing relationship-building with Indigenous communities. Sessional time, dinner, and mileage exceeding 50 km one-way are provided.

When it comes to culturally safe care, the Indigenous Patient-Led (IPL) Continuing Professional Development (CPD) program is forging a path to improve health outcomes by increasing physicians' ability to provide culturally safe care for Indigenous Peoples in rural and remote BC.

Dr Michelle Brousson, Dr Brighid Cassidy, and the North Shore Division of Family Practice, alongside North Vancouver RCMP, West Vancouver Police Department, and local pharmacists have joined forces to bring care and comfort to patients suffering from opioid withdrawal while in short-term custody.

The third annual PCAN Showcase and Summit brought together more than 170 physicians, nurses, health care administrators, allied health, and patient and system partners to share knowledge and learn about perioperative projects funded by the Specialist Services Committee.

A new pilot program is livestreaming anatomy-based training from UBC’s Gross Anatomy Lab directly to rural clinicians, supporting urgent, high-risk care close to home.

As the number of cancer diagnoses in Canada continues to rise, the Shared Care Committee committed to funding up to 15 projects in 2024 that address various priorities within cancer care. These priorities were agreed to in partnership with the BC Cancer, the Provincial Health Services Authority and the Ministry of Health. 

At the Perinatal Care Forum, physicians and perinatal care professionals gathered to learn more about provincial and regional initiatives supporting maternity care, and provide expert input into the development of both a provincial maternity services strategy and the Perinatal Community of Practice’s strategic plan.

Rural clinicians regularly manage complex and unpredictable emergencies. Designed by and for rural clinicians, The CARE Course brings hands-on training directly to local teams—strengthening emergency care in rural communities and improving access for patients and families across BC.

Through his work with Tsq̓éscen̓ First Nation (Canim Lake Band) and with over 45 years of experience as a rural family physician, Dr Bruce Nicolson has seen firsthand the positive impact of relationship-building between physicians and Indigenous patients.

On Haida Gwaii, a team of local doctors and nurses is saving families costly trips off-island by bringing equitable, community-driven surgical services closer to home.  

A secure texting tool is transforming pediatric diabetes care in the Interior—giving families rapid access to clinicians, reducing the likelihood of ER visits by half, and giving kids confidence to manage their condition. Learn how this simple digital solution is reshaping pediatric diabetes care.

A growing BC initiative is proving that most people identified as allergic to penicillin actually aren’t. By safely assessing patients in community settings, care teams are improving treatment options, cutting costs, and strengthening antibiotic stewardship province-wide.

Through shared learning, the Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Skills Group Program is breaking barriers to mental health care—offering early, practical support for patients and physicians, and strengthening access in communities across BC.

A collaborative care team is reshaping maternity care for rural families in Northern BC. Learn how the Chickadee Maternity Collaborative is combining midwifery, physician and nursing care to provide more time, support, and connection for patients while enhancing the well-being of providers.

A new care model is helping rural heart failure patients get to the right dose of their heart failure medications sooner, and reducing travel for specialist appointments, says cardiologist Dr … Continued

Since 2020, the Rural Coordination Centre of BC (RCCbc) and partners have transformed rural care through Real-Time Virtual Support (RTVS).

When Dawson Creek faced a maternity care shortage, local physicians and a midwife launched a program to help expectant parents give birth closer to home—welcomed by loved ones and supported by a strong, connected care team.

A new care pathway developed by Shared Care-funded doctors helps bridge the gap between primary care and specialists with a standardized, evidence-based approach.
 

Physicians in British Columbia are at the forefront of preventive health care, championing opportunistic salpingectomy (OS) as a transformative approach to reducing ovarian cancer risk.

This innovative procedure involves removing the fallopian tubes during a hysterectomy or other pelvic surgeries for women who have finished having children or are undergoing surgery for non-cancer-related reasons.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) Skills Groups for Indigenous-only patient groups are increasing mental health care access to a more culturally safe and relevant environment for a patient population that has faced widespread discrimination and systemic racism.

Dr Jeffrey Poon’s patients now face shorter wait times for joint replacements, thanks to a team-based approach he implemented through the Consultant Specialist Team Care program, improving efficiency, patient access, and team morale.

Many women face hidden heart risks following pregnancy complications. Learn how local physicians and community partners collaborated to create the Campbell River BiRCH Clinic, offering specialized postpartum cardiac care, virtual access, and education to help women protect their long-term heart health. 

Policing, as Sergeant Mike Grandia knows, is ultimately about people, not simply enforcement. To support his team and colleagues, Sergeant Grandia invited Shared Care-funded physicians to lead a day-long workshop on trauma-informed practices with Surrey Police Service officers and staff.  

Urgent appointments are being dealt with more appropriately—in clinic rather than hospital—in Central Saanich thanks to the physician quality improvement project led by family physician Sienna Bourdon.

Dr Bourdon noticed that Saanich Peninsula Hospital emergency room (ER) was being overwhelmed in 2022-23, with more than 1,000 patient visits for medical issues that could potentially have been treated at the Shoreline Medical clinics.

The Shared Care Committee is funding a range of projects across BC to help address challenges in cancer care.

Alongside the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA), BC Cancer, and the Ministry of Health, the committee launched a Call for Proposals in summer 2024. More than 40 applications were submitted, with 15 Expressions of Interest (EOIs) selected for funding.

Priority areas included pain and symptom management, improving diagnostic pathways, and transitions in care (including unattached patients and Community Oncology Networks).

While working in urgent care, walk-in clinics, and hospital settings during the pandemic, Dr Cal Shapiro was so disheartened to see unattached patients coming in with late-stage cancers that he and his colleague, Dr Stuart Bax, decided to do something about it.

Do you use the JCC websites? Tell us about your experience!

We're looking for 8-10 physicians to join one 45-minute Zoom discovery session to answer questions about the JCC websites. Your feedback will be used to improve the website user experience.

Topics include how you navigate the sites and online tools, and identifying improvements.

JCC websites include:

It started with one phone call. In 2023, four doctors drive along Highway 97 as the early morning summer sun kissed the Coastal and Rocky Mountain ranges. Travelling from 100 … Continued