PHYSICIANS JOIN TOGETHER TO IMPROVE PATIENT CARE

PRINCE GEORGE – B.C. is the first Canadian province to implement divisions of family practice, an innovative new initiative that supports groups of physicians in working together to discuss common issues, promote and support family practice, and address gaps in patient care, Health Services Minister George Abbott announced today.

Divisions of family practice is an initiative of the General Practice Services Committee (GPSC), a joint committee of the Ministry of Health Services, the BC Medical Association and the Society of General Practitioners of BC that works to renew primary health care in this province. The first three divisions of family practice are in Prince George, Abbotsford and South Surrey/White Rock.

“In 2005, approximately 1,000 GPs from around B.C. had the opportunity to get together to discuss the challenges facing full service family practice in this province,” said Abbott. “The creation of divisions addresses many concerns raised by these physicians and will help to establish a more formal infrastructure to support doctors who wish to work together to achieve improved professional satisfaction and provide the best possible patient care.”

“Together with integrated health networks, divisions of family practice are fundamental ways we are transforming primary health care,” said Prince George North MLA Pat Bell. “Together, these programs are improving the health for thousands of British Columbians.”

“Physicians in Prince George have been leaders in innovation and a focus on improved services for families,” said Prince George-Mount Robson MLA Shirley Bond “This initiative builds on the work that has already been done in the North and I am not surprised that Prince George is one of the three locations that will have a family practice division.”

“Primary health care is the health system where the majority of the population receive all of their health care,” said Prince George-Omineca MLA John Rustad. “Family physicians provided over 25 million services to the public in 2007/08.”

Division membership is open to all family practitioners within a defined community and may include physicians who provide full service care, walk-in clinic services and specialized services, such as obstetrics or emergency room medicine.

“The pressures faced by family physicians have increased significantly over the past number of years. Prince George physicians have always been proactive at addressing concerns regarding the delivery of healthcare,” said Dr. Dan Horvat, chair of the Prince George division of family practice. “The development of the division of family practice in Prince George is an excellent opportunity for local family physicians to be more directly involved with determining how they, in collaboration with others, can better meet the needs of the citizens of Prince George.”

Each division of family practice will be set up as a society and members will work with the local health authority and community agencies through a collaborative services committee. The committee will be co-chaired by a member of the division and by a health authority representative, and will work with its members to develop and implement solutions to region-specific issues affecting the delivery of health services at the community level.

“These new divisions provide the environment within the health authority for increased support among physicians to better care for their patients,” said Dr. Bill Mackie, president of the BC Medical Association. “Because each division has its own local focus, participating doctors can work together as a group to find solutions to their unique concerns.”

The physicians working within the Prince George division of family practice have selected three priority areas to focus on including the creation of a program to address the needs of patients who do not have a family physician and improving family physician coverage in hospital and long term care facilities. New services for patients who do not have a family physician include an emergency department follow up clinic that will see, assess and treat patients. The division will assist with developing capabilities to place such patients with a primary care provider should they wish or require one.

“In the North, we have had the opportunity to partner with family physicians to support and improve health care in the community. The formation of a division of family practice will further our partnership with family practice physicians in Prince George to better meet the needs of patients, said Northern Health CEO, Cathy Ulrich. “Working together we can address gaps in care and see benefits in access while reducing the strain on our hospital emergency rooms.”

GPSC has allocated $6 million in funding for the annual operational costs of divisions of family practice. Upon successful implementation of the first three divisions, GPSC will begin discussions with physicians in other communities who may be interested in developing new divisions. It is anticipated that a total of 10 divisions will be up and running in communities across the province by the end of 2009.

For more information, please visit the GPSC’s divisions of family practice website at www.bcma.org/gpsc-divisions-family-practice-information.

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1 backgrounder(s) attached.
Media contact:	Michelle Stewart Communications Director Ministry of Health Services 250 952-1887	Sharon Shore Senior Manager of Communications BC Medical Association 604 638-2832 604 306-1866 (pager)

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