The following has been sent on behalf of Ben Williams, MD, CCFP Vice President Medicine, Quality, Research and Chief Medical Officer
May 1, 2023
Colleagues,
As we mark National Physicians’ Day on May 1st, I want to take a moment to acknowledge the incredible care provided by Island Health physicians over the last year, and the work you have done to improve the healthcare system.
This can be a challenging time to practice medicine. Our population continues to both grow and age, public expectations for care are increasing, and many physician groups are struggling to recruit in a very challenging health human resource environment. In this context, physician leadership is more important than ever, and during the recent winter surge of increased hospital capacity, Island Health physicians demonstrated just this kind of leadership: You established new processes to improve discharges and reduce admissions; you increased rounding to help patients get home; and, you trialed new processes to improve flow in the emergency room.
Over the last year, Island Health physicians have played key roles in advancing our healthcare system. Community-based physicians in our region were key leaders supporting an unprecedented investment in primary care through the new BC Longitudinal Family Physician (LFP) payment model. You have also contributed through research and innovation, advanced new care models, advocated for the needs of patients in your areas, and come together as a profession to ratify a new Physician Master Agreement (PMA). In addition, you have laid the groundwork to welcome Associate Physicians as new members of the care team and participate in new structures to support innovation and quality improvement through the Clinical Governance Improvement Initiative where physicians will play key leadership roles.
On behalf of Island Health, I offer my gratitude to all physicians working across the Island Health region on this day and every other day.
Yours sincerely,
Ben Williams, MD, CCFP
Vice President Medicine, Quality, Research and Chief Medical Officer
Island Health
