Our Priorities
BC Family Doctors is reimagining the future of care for British Columbians and the future of work for family doctors. We know the challenges family doctors are facing are urgent and complex. It’s why we are working with our partners to forge opportunities to strengthen the healthcare system.
It’s time to address the supports and reforms necessary to ensure the stability and sustainability of our health system.
We can create a new tomorrow where everyone can thrive.
Modernize and create equity in physician compensation
Compensation inequities remain within family medicine and between physicians of different specialties. Family physicians typically receive compensation that is less competitive than other specialists. Payment models are complex, inequitable, or filled with gaps.
We need to bring physician pay into the 21st century.
The LFP Payment Model has addressed some of these issues for longitudinal family physicians; however, all physician payment models need to be based on shared principles and values. We must ensure that the care patients receive is not dependent on how a physician is paid.
Reduce administrative burdens
Stop the forms! Paperwork is overwhelming family doctors. It’s robbing physicians of valuable time to see patients.
We must lessen the administrative burden on family physicians by simplifying (or eliminating) forms and transferring administrative responsibilities to other members of the care team.
Family doctors want our time back to focus on providing care to our patients. Patients before paperwork!
Expand business and practice supports
The rising costs of business and lack of support for primary care clinics is overwhelming family doctors. We are ready for team-based care but don’t feel supported to succeed.
Family doctors want to efficiently run our clinics and implement new ways of providing care.
We need to better resource physicians and family medicine clinics for the foundational role and infrastructure provided to our healthcare system.
Improve physician health and wellbeing
Burnout is a reality for family doctors. We struggle to balance our work and home commitments. We lack basic employment standards and benefits, such as extended health and dental coverage, or paid sick and vacation time.
We need to value physicians’ health and wellbeing.
We must take action to abolish the culture of overwork. It’s time to implement workplace standards and other wellbeing supports for physicians. Let’s create a healthcare environment that enables everyone to thrive.
Increase family physician respect and representation
Family physicians are devalued in a culture of healthcare that considers us as “less than”.
Family physicians want respect and recognition as specialists in family medicine. We need the ability to advocate for ourselves and our patients.
We want to be heard and valued. Our input is indispensable to a thriving healthcare system. We need to be part of decision-making tables to ensure a sustainable future for our health system.
Build the future of primary care
Primary care is in crisis. Improvements are happening, yet we need more systemic change to create a sustainable system.
We need to make family medicine attractive. We need opportunities for family physicians to influence and improve the system of care for patients.
We want primary care reform that is informed by our worked and lived experience as family doctors. Together, we need to build the future of primary care.