Dear members and prospective members:
The last three months have seen unparalleled demands from physicians and the public for government to fix our failing healthcare system. Here’s what Consultant Specialists of BC has been doing for you during these extraordinary times:
- Healthcare crisis While there has been significant public discourse on the dire state of Primary Care, we are pleased that Doctors of BC is taking notice of the corresponding breakdown in Specialty Care. Last week, I was invited to speak to their Board on issues affecting Specialist care including the surgical capacity and consultative waitlist crises. I also itemized the many challenges shared with our Primary Care colleagues, including:
- Pervasive burnout and moral distress
- Disenfranchisement and lack of meaningful avenues for input and change
- Ever-increasing unpaid physician workload (paperwork)
- Rising overhead costs without recognition that outpatient care depends on physicians’ private offices
- Out-dated referral system which doesn’t serve patients or providers
- Workforce shortage – not enough physicians of any stripe to meet demand
- Collaborative Care Referral Family Doctors and Specialists have been frustrated by a re-referral system that ignores both the necessity of periodic longitudinal consultative Specialist care for BC’s most complex patients and the need to facilitate this care while minimizing administrative burden for all physicians. cSBC has developed a cost-neutral proposal that addresses the failings of the current process. This Collaborative Care Referral is being advanced to Tariff Committee in July, so stay tuned.
- Your patients’ stories We are seeking narratives about how patient care is affected by the current crisis. If you or your patients have experiences to share, please send them to our Executive Director
- Physician Master Agreement negotiations We are monitoring the confidential PMA bargaining table and are in regular contact with Doctors of BC and its Chief Negotiator to highlight Specialist priorities. We are also watching the discussions with Family Practice occurring outside the PMA.
- Specialist disparity analysis The cSBC Economics Policy Advisory Committee (EPAC) has been meeting monthly for the last year to prepare for the disparity correction process anticipated in the PMA. EPAC is targeting September to present recommendations to the Council of Specialists (our Board) on assessing interprovincial and intersectional disparity
While all 32 Specialist sections enjoy representation through cSBC, funding of the organization relies on individual Specialists like you voluntarily supporting our work by paying dues annually. If you are not yet a member, please sign up now.
Go to https://doctorsofbc.ca/account/sections (login required). Scroll down to Consultant Specialists of BC, click on the + sign, check the box for regular $450; first-year practice/disabled/parental leave $225; OR student/resident/retired free. Click the JOIN SELECTED SECTIONS AND SOCIETIES button to pay. Thank you!
Not sure if you’ve joined this year? Drop our Executive Director a line to check.
Wishing you all a safe and restorative summer holiday season,
Dr Chris Hoag
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Dr Chris Hoag, President
phone: (604) 739-1334
[email protected]