The following has been sent on behalf of Dr. Ben Williams, Vice President, Medicine, Quality, Research & Chief Medical Officer.
December 21, 2023
Dear colleagues,
As we approach the end of the year, I would like to take a moment to reflect on 2023 and the exemplary community of medicine that you have worked hard to create at Island Health.
Your deep commitment to patients and one another has gotten us through a challenging year and that same commitment will help us strengthen patient care in 2024. When you shared your views in last year’s Doctors of BC Engagement survey, your values were clear: you value kindness and collaboration, and you demonstrate respect for your peers. Most of you also felt that you belong to a patient-centered team. You have demonstrated this time and time again by the countless hours and dedication you have devoted in service to your patients and the people you work alongside everyday.
You consistently extend the quality of care to your patients that we would want for our own families, and I acknowledge the tremendous effort and sacrifice you have made throughout the year to put your patients first.
You have innovated and found solutions in spite of significant constraints and while I could write a novel about all of your accomplishments, I would like to highlight some profound instances of team work, ingenuity and dedication:
- Your willingness to pick up shifts at home and in communities across the Island, enabling the continuous provision of care to our patients.
- Your partnership in recruitment has resulted in our third year of record medical staff hires. In Psychiatry, for instance, wait times have decreased as new medical staff members have enabled faster access to care.
- Your eagerness to explore new models of care and welcome new members of the care team, such as Associate Physicians and Physicians Assistants, into Island Health is modernizing how we deliver care.
- Your ongoing collaboration in pursuit of quality through the Clinical Governance Improvement Initiative (CGII) and local quality projects is improving care for our patients.
We know you are tired. We know that you are giving everything you have – thank you.
With gratitude,
Dr. Ben T. Williams, MD, CCFP
Vice President Medicine, Quality, Research and Chief Medical Officer
PS. In the spirit of the holiday season, I am sharing a video that was created to express our gratitude to everyone across the organization for their hard work and dedication. Happy Holidays on Vimeo