Spotlight on a Specialist: Dr Ahmer Karimuddin, Doctors of BC President Elect 

Vancouver-based colorectal surgeon, Dr Ahmer Karimuddin, will bring his 15+ years of patient care and leadership experience to his new role of President of Doctors of BC in January 2024. He has been a member of the SSC since 2013, serving as co-chair for the last two years. The many plans on his list include working to ensure the voices of physicians who work in hospitals are amplified in that space.

Welcome to Vernon pediatrician Dr Eiko Waida, new co-chair for the Quality Improvement Working Group (QIWG)   

Inspired by a QI journey that reignited her passion for medicine and saved her medical career, Dr Eiko Waida joins the SSC QIWG as co-chair to help guide the work of SSC Physician Quality Improvement (PQI) and Spreading Quality Improvement (SQI). She is excited about opportunities for the QI community to lead change in BC’s health care system. 

SSC's Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion & Leadership Workshop inspires thoughtful action   

On June 10, 2023, 96 family physicians and specialists from across BC joined together at SSC’s workshop to gain insights, skills, and tools for everyday practice of EDI. The event included enlightening presentations from guest speakers Dr Sanjiv Chopra, Harvard Medical School Professor of Medicine, and Dr Naznin Virji-Babul, UBC Associate Professor and Senior Advisor to the Provost on Women and Gender-Diverse Faculty at UBC. 

SSC Specialists Team Care improves patient access at Nanaimo Pediatrician clinic

Nanaimo Pediatrician Dr Jennifer Kouwenberg has doubled her clinic capacity since incorporating a nurse, dietician, and social worker into her practice through the SSC Specialists Team Care Collaborative. She is now more available for existing patients, as well as those who have been on long wait lists.

SSC Enhancing Access supports Okanagan GI physicians to improve patient services 

Kelowna Gastroenterologists Drs Adrian Bak and Carla Nash have engaged specialist colleagues, family physicians, and EMR vendors in an upgrade of their clinic referral processes, to give patients quicker access to the first available gastroenterologist. They’re also improving physician and patient communication, developing clinical care pathways, and utilizing data analytics reporting. 

Attendees gather for the Leadership for Women in Medicine course

On June 15 and 16, 2023, 29 physicians attended a two-day course on leadership for women in medicine in Rossland, BC. This event was organized by the Kootenay Boundary (KB) Regional Facility Engagement Gender Equity table and was funded through a collaboration with the Specialist Services Committee (SSC) Physician Leadership Scholarship Program (PLSP) and Facility Engagement (FE) initiatives. With a focus on enhancing leadership skills, the course was led by an expert in the field, Dr Mamta Gautam. Dr Gautam is an executive physician coach, author, international speaker, and President of PEAK MD, Inc. who also works with Physician Leadership Institute (PLI) through the Canadian Medical Association (CMA).

Want to know more about SSC programs? Watch the new videos!

Specialist Services Committee: Support to develop physician capacity, engaging physicians & partners, and transform care delivery view here.

Surgical Patient Optimization Collaborative (SPOC) Outcomes view here.

Supporting Community-based Specialists view here.

Physician Journeys to Impact

With SSC supports for physician engagement in the health care system and to develop capacity in leadership and quality improvement, physicians have been moving grassroots ideas into system-level impacts. They are developing ideas, innovating, leading teams, and collaborating with partners to improve health care for patients and providers. Here are a few examples of their impact on surgical teams, addictions care, cancer care, and seniors’ care.

Facility Engagement Knowledge Sharing website supports MSAs and physicians to share strategies  

Through SSC Facility Engagement (FE), physicians working in acute care facilities and programs are are collaborating with health authorities on improvements and decisions about their workplace and patient care. Medical Staff Associations (MSAs) across 77 BC sites are increasingly sharing good work and adaptable strategies through regional tables and councils, virtual peer-to-peer roundtables, and a new, searchable FE Knowledge Sharing website.

Health Authority Engagement Survey 2023 seeks physician input to drive positive change

Doctors of BC’s Health Authority Engagement Survey seeks member input on your experiences within your health authority. We encourage you to share your thoughts. All eligible members received an email invitation on September 12, which included a link to the survey. If you did not receive this invitation, please contact surveys@doctorsofbc.ca.

• Survey deadline: Midnight on Wednesday, October 11.
• For more information, including links to past surveys, visit the Doctors of BC website.

JCC Pre-Forum 2024: Save the date and call for storyboard abstracts

The JCC Pre-Forum takes place on Tuesday, April 23 at the Hyatt Regency in Vancouver, BC. Details about key speakers, registration, and CME accreditation is coming soon. Occurring the day before the Quality Forum (April 24 and 25), the JCC Pre-Forum is place to share stories of quality improvement projects with your colleagues and partners.

Please note that the Pre-Forum Steering Committee is only accepting abstracts for storyboard displays. Visit the Pre-Forum event page for information about abstract submission and presentation formats. Submission deadline: Friday, October 6, 2023.

To propose a workshop or rapid-fire, please contact the specific Joint Collaborative Committee that funds your project.

Integrating Indigenous Cultural Safety into Care webinar

A recording of the "Integrating Indigenous Cultural Safety into Care: Practical Advice for Physicians" webinar is now available. 

Hosted on September 21^st by the Joint Collaborative Committee, Elder Bruce Robinson, and doctors Terri Aldred, Michael Dumont, and David Tu shared their primary care clinic models and reflected on the importance of incorporating traditional Indigenous approaches into the care. View the webinar recording.

Register for the inaugural Perioperative Clinical Action Network (PCAN) Summit on November 20, 2023

The PCAN Summit stands as a crucial nexus, fostering dynamic collaboration between physicians and health authorities. Its central mission is to streamline the identification and effective implementation of transformative changes in the field of surgery. This significant event brings together medical experts and healthcare decision-makers, bridging the crucial gap between clinical expertise and administrative acumen. Through interactive discussions, interdisciplinary exchanges, and data-driven insights, the PCAN Summit empowers stakeholders to confront pivotal issues in surgical practice and healthcare systems. Register here.

New compensation available to provide specialized services to ICBC patients

Any physician who is engaged as a medical consultant for a family physician, nurse practitioner, and/or a consultant specialist for patients involved in motor vehicle accidents can now bill a $275 fee for completing the Specialized Services Report in addition to billing the regular consult/visit fee.

UpToDate Enrollment increasing 

There has been a steady increase  in UpToDate enrollment. UpToDate is a subscription-based online clinical decision support resource available via desktop or mobile. UpToDatenow  offers tailored information, enhancing its utility for specialist physicians. This personalized approach allows physicians  to access the most relevant and current medical knowledge, directly impacting patient care.

As of June 30, 2023, there are 315 registered Community Based Specialist(CBS) users in BC, with monthly growth of 3 to 5 users. This reflects the increasing demand among specialist physicians for personalized, up-to-date medical information.

Community Based Specialists who cannot access UpToDate through a health authority can apply here for free access.  Costs for UpToDate for those CBS that qualify are provided through the Specialists Services Committee (SSC). 

Spoken Language Translation Services update

To better support specialists in community office settings, the SSC CBS Working Group has expanded access to spoken language interpretation services to community-based specialists and their office-based Allied Health team members. 

Through a contract with the Provincial Language Service (PLS), professional interpreters can assist in approximately 240 languages, including several Indigenous languages found in BC.  This service is available  via telephone, 24/7, and on-demand.  Additionally access to American Sign Language interpreters is available, although this service must be pre-booked. 

For specialists, including Emergency Physicians, working across various health authority sites,  this service is available  through your health authority process at no cost.

Currently, members are utilizing over 900 minutes per month.  Additionally, user feedback has highlighted their contentment with the service's performance and quality, underscoring its effectiveness in meeting their needs.