DoBC has recently published their Strategic Plan for the next 5 years. It is now up to us to put these broad strategies into concrete practice. As an experienced physician leader, I am confident that I can assist with doing so in a way that improves patient care and supports physicians as respected and valued leaders in our healthcare system. To begin, we need to focus on:
Physician Voice - Physicians have tremendous knowledge, drive and capability that is underutilized. We need better structures in place that enable us to “kick around’ ideas, pick the best ones and to ensure that physicians are supported to pursue them to improve Healthcare for our Patients and to improve our working environments.
We need forums that will ensure that our voice is influential in planning the future of our systems, and make sure we never again see the deterioration of care that we have witnessed in recent years.
As Physicians we bring so much to the table: within the DoBC, with Patients, Health Authorities and the Ministry. Our voice needs to be heard, valued and acted on at all levels of the Healthcare system.
As someone intimately aware of the many areas where we have made improvements, I’m also aware that we now need to amplify the impact and scope of our efforts. I will work for you, with the board and staff of Doctors of BC, to ensure that physicians are well supported to execute our strategic plan in ways that make a meaningful difference to physicians and patients.
Value – Physicians are amongst the most trusted groups in society. By strengthening our voice, and improving how we work together, we can use our tremendous knowledge and experience to add value, not just to Patient Care, but to the entire system that delivers that care. We know we already do this, but working together, we can make an even larger impact.
By ensuring our impact is seen and valued by Patients and the Government we stand to receive fair compensation and stop the further erosion of our roles. This includes combatting the fragmentation, inefficiencies and increased burden on physicians that is occurring when government increases the scope of practice of other professions with no plan for health professionals to work together effectively and when they consistently remove supports. Our Patients deserve the best.
I will work to improve the value that we receive from our organization and from the Healthcare System so that we can deliver the care we are capable of and that our patients deserve.
Transparency - Increased transparency is necessary for members to navigate our organizations and systems in order to engage in the clinical, leadership and other work we do. It is a key prerequisite to developing the trust and the partnerships that are critical to making positive change.
Transparency doesn’t just happen on its own. It takes focused effort to make complex systems and organizations easy to understand, easy to find information and easy to access services. Doctors of BC can improve transparency by ensuring that there are clear organization charts, Board, RA and Committee minutes, Budgets, Committee goals and Terms of reference available online to members.
We have already made improvements in many of these areas. We need to amplify the impact and scope of the work. We need more Physicians engaged on a broader scope of work.
And me?
Having practiced for 8 years in rural and 12years in suburban communities, I understand the challenges of delivering patient care in an increasingly challenging environment. I have significant knowledge and experience gained through leadership and quality improvement training and working in a range of senior leadership roles including with the Joint Clinical Committees (SSC, FPSC, SCC, JSC & PSC) over the last 10 years. These experiences have involved both Consultant and Family Physician colleagues, the DoBC, the Government and the Health Authorities. If elected, I will use my knowledge and experience to help regain an effective Physician voice and to ensure that physicians are well supported as leaders in improving Healthcare in BC as well as in the provision of patient care.
My focus is on what we can do together as a team. Over the past 10 years, I have helped guide PQI (Physician Quality Improvement) as an effective, collaborative organization within DoBC that partners with Administrations, Doctors and Patients in substantive ways to solve local problems. It’s now time to start to tackle the bigger problems in our system, and bring our voices to the public, the Government, the Ministry and the Health Authorities and to ensure that physicians are respected and values partners as we reshape healthcare in BC.