With the provincial election in the rearview mirror and a new Cabinet in place, the BC College of Family Physicians (BCCFP) is urging the new government to take immediate actions that will deliver on its platform commitments and tackle the ongoing crisis in family medicine. Tackling this crisis cannot wait until the Legislature returns in February 2025.
“We appreciate Premier Eby’s comments on the recognition that his new Cabinet needs to focus on tackling the family medicine crisis in BC. If the newly elected government are to deliver on their promise of attaching all patients on the Health Connect Registry by the end of next year, we need to start taking immediate action ahead of the Legislature’s return in February of 2025.” says Dr. Jennifer Lush, family physician and Board member of the BC College of Family Physicians. “We are asking the new Health Minister, the Honourable Josie Osborne, to sit down with family physicians at the earliest possible opportunity and begin discussions on reforms that will make family medicine a more sustainable practice and free up time for more patient visits.”
BCCFP has strongly advocated for the elimination of sick notes for short-duration illnesses, and Premier Eby has promised to ban employers from mandating a sick note. Recent survey data showed that roughly 30% of a family physician’s time has been spent on administrative tasks, a major component of their days. The government should work with the BCCFP to implement strategies to reduce this number, including an urgent review of patient forms and electronic medical records (EMRs).
“In order to ensure that all British Columbians are attached to a family physician, the government must also take steps to ensure family physicians are supported in running what are effectively small businesses,” adds Dr. Lush. “While the LFP payment model has been a step in the right direction, our survey data shows 40% of BC family physicians plan to retire or pull back their clinical duties in the next 3-5 years, so we have to make family medicine a more attractive career path for younger physicians.”
Family physicians are running clinics in BC that lack the resources to hire adequate staffing, secure long-term affordable rents, and cover other requirements like insurance. 85% of BC family physicians lack health and dental benefits that would otherwise be afforded to other health care professionals.
The government should work with the BCCFP to address the lack of reliable locum coverage so that family physicians are able to take time away from their practices for health and family matters, like other health care professionals currently enjoy. Premier Eby vowed to ‘fast-track’ the licensing of both Canadian and internationally trained physicians to work in BC which would strengthen the health care workforce, create more patient visits and help to reduce burnout.
