Building a Stronger Healthcare System for B.C.
December 12 is Universal Health Coverage Day—a day to reflect on making high-quality healthcare accessible to everyone, everywhere.
At BC Family Doctors, we believe in a healthcare system that puts patients first and supports family doctors in delivering the care that improves lives.
Family doctors are the backbone of our healthcare system. They provide ongoing, personalized care that strengthens patient health and reduces costs to the public system. But this model of care is at risk as corporations increasingly enter the primary care landscape, setting up walk-in clinics, telemedicine services, and buying family medicine practices.
This shift makes it harder for family doctors to deliver the kind of long-term, relationship-based care patients need. Instead, we’re seeing a rise in short-term, one-off care that doesn’t fully meet the needs of British Columbians.
Corporatized healthcare raises some big concerns:
• Corporate policies can interfere with a doctor’s ability to make the best decisions for their patients.
• Corporate clinics aren’t held to the same high standards as individual doctors, which can lead to lower-quality care
• Patient records are valuable, and without proper rules, they could be used in ways that don’t benefit patients or the public
Protecting public healthcare
To keep our primary care system strong, we need to ensure that patient needs are the priority. BC Family Doctors is calling on the province to:
- Set clear rules to hold corporate clinics to the same high standards as other healthcare providers.
- Protect doctors’ ability to make independent decisions for patient care.
- Create strong rules around the use of patient data to ensure privacy and transparency.
Universal Health Coverage Day reminds us of the importance of working together to create a healthcare system that serves everyone. By focusing on what matters most—patients, quality care, and fairness—we can build a better future for healthcare. Let’s ensure that primary care remains a cornerstone of our public health system, so every British Columbian can get the care they need, when they need it.
Share the Universal Health Coverage Day campaign toolkit and show your support for universal health coverage.