Care for a colleague: Program seeking doctors for doctors

The importance of longitudinal care is something all physicians are keenly aware of. As part of its commitment to supporting physician health and wellness, the Physician Health Program (PHP) is expanding its service that matches physicians and medical students with a family doctor to meet increased demand from unattached doctors.

Alongside its many other services, the PHP has been matching physicians and medical trainees with their own family physician for the past 10 years under its Family Doctor Connection Service.  In 2021 alone, this service matched more than 575 physicians and medical trainees with their own family physician or nurse practitioner.

The significant expansion of the Family Doctor Connection Service is possible in part thanks to funding from Scotiabank, MD Financial, and the Canadian Medical Association as part of the new Physician Wellness+ Initiative, which aims to address the urgent and ongoing health and wellness needs of physicians and medical learners.

PHP is asking family physicians who are able to provide longitudinal care for another doctor to fill out this online form—it takes less than five minutes to indicate your interest to learn more. If you have questions about the process, please read the FAQ, call PHP at 604-398-4300, or email View Email Addressinfo@physicianhealth.com.

By providing care for just one colleague through a PHP referral, you will make a positive difference in supporting the health and well-being of physicians and your communities.  

PHP thanks its existing roster of physicians and nurse practitioners who have taken on physician patients.  

If you are an unattached physician who would like to be matched with a family doctor, please visit the PHP attachment request page.

PHP is also working on a number of initiatives to support physician health, including:

• Physician Wellness Network: A network offering ongoing opportunities for communication, networking, sharing of ideas, and strategic alignment of wellness activities for those involved with MSAs, Divisions, public health, UBC’s resident doctors, and others.  

• Physician Peer Support Network: PHP will train physicians across the province to deliver one-to-one emotional peer support. Evidence shows that physician peer support helps to foster a culture where physicians feel comfortable seeking and offering help.

Watch for updates on these initiatives over the next few months.

Doctors of BC is responding to unprecedented stress and demands on doctors as we navigate through two years of a pandemic by also addressing system challenges that require longer-term strategic change. Doctors of BC is working continuously on behalf of our membership to reduce physician burdens.

Watch for further upcoming physician wellness announcements over the next number of months from Doctors of BC, and read our President’s Letter (login required) from last fall that announced these important PHP initiatives. If you would like to learn more about our other resources, please visit our Physician Health and Safety page.