January 31, 2025

To Our Consultant Specialist Colleagues in British Columbia,

We write to you on behalf of the BC Society of Emergency Medicine, representing over 750 Emergency Physicians practicing in our province. We acknowledge the growing crisis patients in BC are experiencing in receiving timely access to Specialist Care, and we want to express our concerns and alarm about the profound impact this is having on our patients, and the healthcare system as a whole.

Wait times for Specialist assessment have reached unprecedented levels, in many cases leaving patients waiting years for the answers and care they urgently need. This delay has had a ripple effect, with emergency departments (EDs) becoming the last resort for patients seeking assistance for chronic medical conditions and unresolved health issues for which they cannot access appropriate Specialist consultation.

Every day, emergency physicians are faced with patients in crisis, many referred by community clinics or returning to the ED repeatedly, seeking help while awaiting their Specialist consultations. These patients, often with complex conditions, endure lengthy waits in our departments, desperate for answers and solutions. Tragically, we are frequently unable to provide them with clarity about when they might expect to see their Specialist or receive definitive care. In many cases, emergency physicians are being expected to perform diagnostic workup for non-emergent conditions that fall outside our areas of expertise, driven by our shared desire to do everything we can for these patients that are being harmed by growing waitlists. However, this is neither sustainable nor in the best interests of patient care.

We recognize that Specialists Doctors are struggling to cope with overwhelming patient volumes, resource limitations, and systemic barriers that contribute to this crisis. We acknowledge the immense pressure you are under and appreciate the vital role you play in the healthcare system. We support the drive for a prompt provincial strategy to address and resolve the issue of lengthy wait times for Specialist Care in BC, and we hope to collaborate with you and other stakeholders to ensure timely access to Specialist consultation for British Columbians.

Sincerely,

Jonathan Braunstein, MD, CCFP-EM

Garth Meckler, MD, MSHS, FRCPC-PEM

Ben Tuyp, MD FRCPC-EM

Co-Presidents, BC Society of Emergency Medicine (SEM), Doctors of BC