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The author reflects on the challenges and accomplishments in the medical sector in British Columbia in 2011 and offers an outlook for 2012. He mentions the negotiation in 2011 to renew the Physician Master Agreement. He cites the release of the policy papers "Enhancing Surgical Care in BC: Improving Perioperative Quality, Efficiency, and Access" and "Planning British Columbia's Physician Workforce." He anticipates new programs for physicians, patients and the health care system.

Background: British Columbia's 8-1-1 telephone service connects callers with nurses for health care advice. As of Nov. 16, 2020, callers advised by a registered nurse to obtain in-person medical care can be subsequently referred to virtual physicians. We sought to determine health system use and outcomes of 8-1-1 callers urgently triaged by a nurse and subsequently assessed by a virtual physician. Methods: We identified callers referred to a virtual physician between Nov. 16, 2020, and Apr. 30, 2021. After assessment, virtual physicians assigned callers to 1 of 5 triage dispositions (i.e., go to emergency department [ED] now, see primary care provider within 24 hours, schedule an appointment with a health care provider, try home treatment, other). We linked relevant administrative databases to ascertain subsequent health care use and outcomes. Results: We identified 5937 encounters with virtual physicians involving 5886 8-1-1 callers. Virtual physicians advised 1546 callers (26.0%) to go to the ED immediately, of whom 971 (62.8%) had 1 or more ED visits within 24 hours. Virtual physicians advised 556 (9.4%) callers to seek primary care within 24 hours, of whom 132 (23.7%) had primary care billings within 24 hours. Virtual physicians advised 1773 (29.9%) callers to schedule an appointment with a health care provider, of whom 812 (45.8%) had primary care billings within 7 days. Virtual physicians advised 1834 (30.9%) callers to try a home treatment, of whom 892 (48.6%) had no health system encounters over the next 7 days. Eight (0.1%) callers died within 7 days of assessment with a virtual physician, 5 of whom were advised to go to the ED immediately. Fifty-four (2.9%) callers with a "try home treatment" disposition were admitted to hospital within 7 days of a virtual physician assessment, and no callers who were advised home treatment died. Interpretation: This Canadian study evaluated health service use and outcomes arising from the addition of virtual physicians to a provincial health information telephone service. Our findings suggest that supplementation of this service with an assessment from a virtual physician safely reduces the overall proportion of callers advised to seek urgent in-person visits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Providing care in alternative (non-office) locations and outside office hours are important elements of access and comprehensiveness of primary care. We examined the trends in and determinants of the services provided in a cohort of primary care physicians in British Columbia, Canada.Methods: We used physician-level payments for all primary care physicians practicing in British Columbia from 2006-2007 through 2011-2012. We examined the association between physician demographics and practice characteristics and payment for care in alternative locations and after hours across rural, urban, and metropolitan areas using longitudinal mixed-effects models.Results: The proportion of physicians who provided care in alternative locations and after hours declined significantly during the period, in rural, urban, and metropolitan practices. Declines ranged from 5% for long-term care facility visits to 22% for after-hours care. Female physicians, and those in the oldest age category, had lower odds of providing care at alternative locations and for urgent after-hours care. Compared with those practicing in metropolitan centers, physicians working in rural areas had significantly higher odds of providing care both in alternative locations and after hours.Conclusion: Care provided in non-office locations and after office hours declined significantly during the study period. Jurisdictions where providing these services are not mandated, and where similar workforce demographic shifts are occurring, may experience similar accessibility challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the accomplishments by the Doctors of BC' Council on Health Promotion (COHP) in British Columbia's (BC) for 2014. Topics covered include the group's creation of the website OpenMindBC.ca, the fifth annual Walk With Your Doc event, and a number of resolutions developed by the Environmental Health Committee that are now both Doctors of BC and Canadian Medical Association (CMA) policy.

The article discusses highlights of the Doctors of BC Annual Meeting held at Pan Pacific Hotel in Vancouver, British Columbia on June 4, 2016.

This section offers news briefs from the medical sector of Canada. It outlines the average clinical payments of Canadian physicians in 2010-2011. It reports that the people of British Columbia are facing a 415 billion Canadian dollar tax bill due to increased care costs over the next 50 years to provide care for aging baby boomers. It discusses a study by the University of British Columbia which revealed that body language can indicate whether an alcoholic will relapse.

The authors respond to a commentary to their article on the privileging project in the health care system in British Columbia. They argue that implementing the privileging project will allow physicians to voice-out the support they need in clinical practice. They also explain the difference between currency and competency.

The article offers ideas on how to make the provincial Privileging Standards Project in British Columbia relevant and effective. It explains the association between privileging and competency, as well as the possible consequences of using volume thresholds as currency and competency markers. The author argues that a privileging project for diagnostic imaging problem will not be effective to generalist rural medicine.

The article deals with the progress in the use of electronic medical records (EMR) in British Columbia (BC). It was noted that almost 65% eligible physicians have adopted an EMR in their practice in BC. The reasons for the variation in the level of effective EMR use are cited including an individual's basic computer and typing skills and quality of training. Also noted is the support of the Physician Information Technology Office (PITO) for EMR use.

Discusses the status of health care in British Columbia as of December, 2000. Limited numbers of doctors and nurses in the area; Opinion that the Canadian Ministry of Health is making it difficult for rural physicians in British Columbia; Hope that medical care can be renewed.