Snapshot September 2021

Specialists of BC is the unifying organization representing and advocating for all specialists in the province. Despite summer vacation season, your SBC has been working hard on your behalf.  Here’s a quick snapshot of what the SBC has been doing for you over the summer:

• Council of Specialists Meeting Planning – We have a great lineup of speakers and topics for discussion at the September 30 COS Meeting, including attendance by Deputy Provincial Health Officer, Reka Gustafson, and a visioning discussion on the future roles of the EPAC (formerly DDOWG).  Don’t miss it!
• Maintaining current Telehealth Billing provisions – Many will have read the joint CPSBC/MOH/Public Health letter and Matthew Chow’s follow-up Doctors of BC President’s Report.  SBC will also be responding and continuing to advocate to maintain current telehealth billing provisions post-COVID, including maintaining pay parity with in-person visits.
• Protection of Specialist Nomenclature – lobby to protect Specialist nomenclature for the benefit of patients and physicians is ongoing.  The CPSBC is convening a committee to review this and we will continue to engage in this discussion.
• Specialist Symposium Planning (Save the date: January 21, 2022) – thanks to Danny Mendelsohn (Neurosurgery) for representing the SBC on the planning committee
• Ongoing engagement with Pathways to ensure a strong Specialist voice in the development of this proposed referral system including integration with specialist EMRs and lobbying for better specialist representation on the Pathways BOD – thanks to Dana Wong (Otolaryngology) and Frank Ervin (Respirology) for putting their names forward.
• Revitalization of the DDOWG – new name for the committee is the Economics Policy Advisory Committee (EPAC) – new Terms or Reference to be discussed at Sept 30 COS meeting
• Nominees submitted for the Worksafe BC PMA Committees – Thanks to Elliott Weiss (Physiatry) and Alastair Younger (Orthopedics) for stepping up.
• Updating of Website – ongoing; stay tuned for a more navigable informative website including a summary of what the SBC is and why specialists should join.
• SBC Renewal Project –we need to ensure a sustainable SBC financial model.  The Renewal Working Group has recommended that the dues be spread across all specialists for whom the SBC advocates.   This has been termed the “Doctors of BC Collection Model”, whereby nominal annual dues ($80) would be collected at the time of Doctors of BC membership renewal.  We are currently collecting letters of support from sections to assist with this initiative. If your section has not yet submitted a letter of support, please contact Andrea Elvidge [email protected] to request the template letter for your section.

As always, be sure to reach out if you have any questions for us and we are always looking for people who want to be more involved. Let us know. Contact: [email protected]

Stay well,

Chris Hoag, President