Improving Substance Use Care and Prevention in BC - A policy paper by Doctors of BC 2024

February 2024
Mental Health and Substance Use | Policy Paper
PDF icon Link (1.07 MB)

Our 2009 policy paper, Stepping Forward: Improving Addiction Care in British Columbia, outlined Doctors of BC’s position on substance use care. While many of the calls to action in that paper still apply, the substance use landscape has shifted dramatically since 2009. Widespread access to quality care remains limited, and health outcomes for harmful substance use continue to deteriorate. As such, this paper builds on our 2009 policy paper and expands on its recommendations to build a better substance use system of care that reduces stigma, prevents, or minimizes substance use harms, and enables all British Columbians to access the care and services they need when and where they need it.

Scope of Practice for Health Professionals

January 2024
Access to Care | Policy Statement
PDF icon Link (136.96 KB)

Doctors of BC supports high-functioning health care teams whose members are empowered to work to the full depth of their scope of practice. Where changes to scopes of practice for health professionals are being explored, any proposed changes should support optimization of each team member’s skills and expertise and continue to protect quality of care and safety of patients.

Bylaw Amendments to Establish a Licensing and Regulatory Framework for Physicians Assistants in Emergency Departments

October 2023
Access to Care | Policy Submission
PDF icon Link (538.88 KB)

For over a decade, Doctors of BC has supported introducing Physicians Assistants (PAs) as a way to extend physician services and meet increasing patient needs. We are pleased government is welcoming PAs into emergency departments in order to address ongoing capacity challenges. As evidence suggests that PAs can be effective in a range of other health care settings, we will continue to advocate for PAs to be recognized as registered health professionals who are able to work in all health care settings.   

Improving Digital Health in BC Policy Statement

August 2023
Digital Health | Policy Statement
PDF icon Link (178 KB)

Doctors of BC recognizes the vital role digital health plays in how doctors deliver health care and support patient health today and into the future. We support the improvement of digital health solutions in a way that ensures they are beneficial to physicians, user groups, patients, and the health system. And as the Ministry of Health moves its province-wide Digital Health Strategy forward, we commit to advocating for physician influence in shaping digital health planning and digital health solutions is a priority for Doctors of BC.

Gender Equity in the Medical Profession

January 2023
Professional Satisfaction | Policy Statement
PDF icon Link (211.5 KB)

Doctors of BC recognizes that gender inequity is a societal issue that affects female physicians negatively in areas like income, career advancement, mental health, and job satisfaction. We commit to taking action on this issue by tracking gender representation in the association, supporting efforts to address the gender pay gap, applying GBA+ in decision-making, reviewing parental leave benefits, and helping members access resources mentorship and leadership opportunities. Doctors of BC recommends that government, physician employers, and medical schools take similar actions to identify, resolve, and prevent gender inequity and address issues of bias and discrimination in the workplace and medical training.

 

Creating Space for Doctors to Be Doctors: A Cumulative Impact Lens on Physician Demands

December 2022
Professional Satisfaction | Policy Paper
PDF icon Link (1.15 MB)

Doctors of BC Position: Physicians are faced with a growing number of demands that can lead to unmanageable time constraints, and expectations to deliver beyond what can be reasonably expected in a single day. Many of these demands, such as paperwork, charting, and EMR management, do not allow physicians time to provide the best possible patient care, and can negatively affect physician wellbeing. Doctors of BC calls on all health care stakeholders to carefully consider how any new ask or proposed change may affect the wider health care system’s accessibility and quality. Health care stakeholders are encouraged to use the Burdens Solutions Tool, a new framework for assessing new, existing, and potential demands on physician time.

Addressing Challenges to Surgical Care

November 2022
Access to Care | Policy Statement
PDF icon Link (542.89 KB)

Doctors of BC Position: Doctors of BC recognizes the surgical care challenges in BC, including growing wait lists, surgical wait-times, and the shortage of health care staff and the additional burdens on surgeons, anesthesiologists, and other health care providers. To address these concerns, Doctors of BC calls on the BC Ministry of Health and health authorities to meaningfully engage and collaborate with physicians at various levels to ensure surgical plans are appropriate; implement strategies to recruit and retain health care staff; provide physicians with the necessary resources and infrastructure to deliver quality patient care; and, increase transparency related to wait-list data.

Submission on PIDA Expansion

November 2022
Professional Satisfaction | Policy Submission
PDF icon Link (157.87 KB)

Doctors of BC is appreciative for the opportunity to provide input on the definition of physicians as the legislative framework for expanding the Public Interest Disclosure Act (PIDA) to health authorities is developed. We have had conversations with physicians to understand their connections to health authorities and the points discussed aim to support the development of a definition that will afford the legislative protections from reprisal under PIDA to those physicians who work in or have attachment to health authorities.

Submission to the Select Standing Committee on Health – Drug Toxicity Crisis

August 2022
Mental Health and Substance Use | Policy Submission
PDF icon Link (78.92 KB)

Doctors of BC acknowledges the severe impact of the drug toxicity crisis and calls for a multi-pronged, coordinated approach to address the ongoing public health emergency in BC. To address this issue, Doctors of BC recommends enhancing coordination and improving access to community-based, culturally appropriate, and evidence-informed substance use prevention, harm reduction, and treatment programs and services. Additionally, Doctors of BC recommends supporting physicians who wish to participate in the provision of safer pharmaceutical alternatives, evaluating the impact of decriminalization and expanding engagement with doctors to receive input into the development, implementation, and evaluation of substance use programs and services.

Equitable Access to Green Spaces

March 2022
Health Promotion & Public Health | Resolution

Doctors of BC supports efforts to increase access to green spaces in British Columbia and recommends that stakeholders at all levels coordinate to ensure green space planning incorporates equity-based considerations, including:

(a) Ensuring that access to green spaces is equitable for all British Columbians, including those living in Indigenous and rural communities, those with disabilities, and lower-income residents.
(b) Ensuring that British Columbians of all identities feel both physically and psychologically safe in using green spaces.
(c) Where possible and appropriate, developing covered, weather-protected areas in green spaces that can be accessed freely and year-round.

Virtual Care

November 2021
Digital Health | Policy Statement
PDF icon Link (186.59 KB)

Doctors of BC Position: Virtual care is the use of electronic means to reduce or replace face-to-face clinical interaction. It includes telemedicine, e-mail communication, and remote patient monitoring. Doctors of BC recommends that doctors have discretion over when to use virtual care, leveraging virtual care technologies to improve patient care, supporting doctors with the necessary resources for virtual care and developing virtual care guidelines.

Caregivers as Partners in the Care of Residents in Long-term Care and Assisted Living

June 2021
Family Caregivers | Resolution

Doctors of BC Position: Doctors of BC, in alignment with Doctors of BC’s 2016 policy paper “Circle of Care: Supporting Family Caregivers in BC” and the recommendations from the 2020 report “Staying Apart to Stay Safe” by the Office of the Seniors Advocate, recommends that:

  • family caregivers be formally recognized as partners in the care of residents in long-term care and assisted living,
  • long-term care and assisted living residents and their family caregivers be included in decisions about individual care plans, and
  • long-term care and assisted living facilities have a mechanism for consulting family caregivers on the development of policies that impact residents.

Climate Change and Human Health

June 2021
Health Promotion & Public Health | Policy Statement
PDF icon Link (411.45 KB)

Doctors of BC Position: Doctors of BC recognizes the significant impact climate change has on human health and the need for everyone to work to reduce the rate at which climate change occurs. As such, Doctors of BC policy supports climate change prevention, mitigation and adaption measures. This includes reducing greenhouse gas emissions across the health care system, identifying the potential impacts of climate change through physician training and health impact assessments to maximize potential health benefits and reduce risks. Watch this animated video for an overview of our policy.

Illicit Drugs Toxicity/Overdose Crisis

June 2021
Mental Health and Substance Use | Policy Statement
PDF icon Link (165.76 KB)

Doctors of BC Position: To prevent drug toxicity injuries and deaths, Doctors of BC supports a multi-pronged approach based on the principles of harm reduction, prevention, treatment, and enforcement. Doctors of BC supports decriminalization of simple possession of controlled substances for personal use, enhanced coordination and access to services, and increased efforts to separate people from the toxic, illicit drug supply.

Physician Burdens

February 2021
Professional Satisfaction | Policy Statement
PDF icon Link (663.53 KB)

Doctors of BC Position: Physicians are faced with a growing number of demands that can lead to unmanageable time constraints and expectations to deliver beyond what can be reasonably expected in a single day. Doctors of BC encourages all health care stakeholders to carefully consider how any new ask or proposed change may ripple through the health care system to impact quality and accessibility of care and physician workflow using a ‘cumulative impact lens’ prior to implementation.

Stay Active, Stay Safe: Physical activity resources and recommendations for older adults during COVID-19

January 2021
Aging Population | Resource
PDF icon Link (334.42 KB)

Infographic of physical activity resources and recommendations for older adults during COVID-19

Recognizing Obesity as a Chronic Disease

January 2021
Health Promotion & Public Health | Resolution

Doctors of BC Position: Doctors of BC recognizes obesity to be a chronic medical disease requiring enhanced research, treatment, and prevention efforts.

Healthy Aging and Preventing Frailty

November 2020
Aging Population | Statement
PDF icon Link (706.7 KB)

Doctors of BC Position: Preventing frailty requires a multidisciplinary and multisectoral approach. Doctors of BC calls on the government to update its provincial healthy aging strategy to include prioritization of frailty prevention and improving access to and funding for pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions that support frailty prevention. Older adults and their caregivers should also be supported to utilize programs, services, and technology to stay connected with their community.

Governance for Electronic Medical Record Data Used for Secondary Purposes

March 2020
Digital Health | Policy Statement
PDF icon Link (427.99 KB)

Doctors of BC Position: The increasing demand for access to data in physician electronic medical records (EMRs) is associated with risks and benefits of use of that data. Doctors of BC recommends that in order to mitigate risks and ensure public interests are protected, establishment of appropriate and collaborative governance is needed as it relates to the use of EMR data by external organizations for secondary purposes.

Safe Cycling Infrastructure

January 2020
Health Promotion & Public Health | Resolution

Doctors of BC Position: To reduce both risk of injury and harms associated with traffic-related air pollution, Doctors of BC advocates for cycling infrastructure that, where possible and to the greatest extent possible, is separated from motor vehicle traffic.

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