Why paperwork is driving doctors away—and how to fix it

It’s not just long hours or the rising costs of running a practice that are driving family doctors away—it’s the mountain of paperwork. Every unnecessary administrative task takes time away from what really matters: patient care. With about 700,000 British Columbians still without a family doctor, we need to make sure doctors spend their time doing what they do best: taking care of British Columbians.

Dr. Maryam Zeineddin, president of B.C. Family Doctors, says cutting administrative stress is a key element to keeping doctors in practice. The Colwood Health Clinic on Vancouver Island is showing one way that it can be done.

The clinic introduced a team-based care model. Under the new Colwood model, the city employs doctors directly, providing pension and benefits—and takes on some of the paperwork associated with running a family medicine clinic. This approach makes the job more rewarding for doctors by ensuring patient care is the focus of their work.

Other provinces are stepping up to reduce paperwork, too. In Quebec, new legislation allows employees to take up to three days of sick leave without a doctor’s note. Ontario and Nova Scotia have already made similar changes via sick note legislation. This one change alone reduces thousands of unnecessary visits and provides better access to care for those who need it.

It’s time for B.C. to follow these examples. By reducing paperwork, introducing sick note legislation, and providing better support, we can keep doctors in practice and improve care for everyone.