The Medical Lead Long Term Care Services Cowichan/Salt Spring Geo 3 is a co-leadership position with operational and decision-making responsibilities. With the position's co-leader, the Medical Lead works proactively with others (including patients) to enhance teamwork (including collaboration between physicians and staff) and to facilitate continuous quality improvement of residential services. This position reports to a Medical Director. This is for a temporary contract ending March 31, 2026.

Main responsibilities of this position:

1. Leadership: Co-leads activities to ensure physicians and staff work as a team to monitor and improve service delivery; Links with appropriate Division Heads and Chiefs of Staff to address matters of physician governance, including professional medical practice issues.
2. Operations & Quality: Implements processes and structures to engage physicians and staff in continuous quality improvement of service delivery; Monitors team budget and performance jointly with Co-Leader, and makes course corrections when necessary; Initiates investigations of team-related PSLS and PCQO events.
3. Change Management: Acts as change management ‘champion’ to engage and support physicians and staff through change.
4. Informatics: Leads team activities that advance technology and data use to improve service delivery using the electronic health records (EHR) in collaboration with the Quality Systems team.
5. Planning: Assesses, monitors and anticipates team resource needs and works with medical leaders and administrative leaders to prioritize these needs within available resources.

 This position will also be expected to:

1. Co-lead activities to ensure physicians and residential care staff work as a team to monitor and improve service delivery, including an adequate supply of physicians.
2. Link with appropriate regional Department of Family Practice Heads and Divisions of Family Practice within the geographic region to address matters of physician governance, including professional medical practice issues, and facilitate the coordination of medical care.
3. Participate in the development and implementation of processes and policies to engage physicians and staff in continuous quality improvement of service  delivery.
4. Monitor performance with respect to the delivery of medical services and make course corrections when necessary.
5. Assist with infection control issues.
6. Initiate investigations of team-related PSLS and PCQO events.
7.  Act as change management ‘champion’ to engage and support physicians and staff through change.
8. Lead team activities that advance technology and data use to improve service delivery in collaboration with the IHealth team and the Quality Systems team.
9. Assess, monitor and anticipate team resource needs and work with medical leaders and administrative leaders to prioritize these needs within available resources.
10. Promote the implementation of island wide quality medical processes and 
11. Chair a regional Medical Advisory / Medical Quality Assurance Committee to report to the Island Health Residential Care Medical Advisory Committee and Local Medical Advisory Committee(s) (as appropriate).
12. Monitor and advise on the implementation of the FPSC Long-Term Care Initiative and regional LTC homes. 

Community Information

With a total population of approximately 84,000, Cowichan encompasses several small communities, each with its own distinct character, including: Ladysmith, Chemainus, Crofton, Duncan, Cowichan Lake, Maple Bay, Cowichan Bay, Mill Bay, Shawnigan Lake, and Cobble Hill.

Here's what sets Cowichan apart: The warmest mean year-round temperature anywhere in Canada; excellent public schools, complemented by private schools of international reputation; year-round recreation: golf, hiking, biking, kayaking, boating, fishing, equestrian sports, and plenty more; intimate performance venues such as the Chemainus Theatre and Cowichan Performing Arts Centre; renowned local food scene, including vineyards and bistros, farm markets, and award-winning fine dining; extensive cultural heritage; unique attractions; and numerous talented local artists; dense forests and lush countryside; pristine coastlines and rich marshlands; all populated by an abundance of wildlife. While offering a warm and welcoming small-town atmosphere, Cowichan is just a short distance to several main city centres: 45-minute drive south to the capital City of Victoria; 40-minute drive north to the harbour City of Nanaimo; and a two- hour drive to the spectacular Mt. Washington ski resort.

Cowichan residents are currently served by Island Health’s Cowichan District Hospital, a 148-bed acute care facility. The new Cowichan District Hospital is under construction now and is scheduled to open in 2027. The new hospital will be 56,448 square-metres (607,601 square-feet) in size, more than three times larger than the current facility and will have capacity for 204 beds.