Hospital Support

A hospital support working group was established in July 2012.

Issues

The issue was the attrition of family medicine physicians with hospital privileges at NRGH. At the time, there were 26 family physicians left at the hospital with an identified need to improve communication, relationships, and the working environment.

Goal

Improve the working environment, communication, and engagement within the group of GPs providing active hospital care, enabling them to better support each other and improving working relationships within the hospital setting.

Focus

• Free parking for physicians with A1-A3 privileges from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m.
• Computer access in dictation rooms in the acute tower for GPs during morning rounds. 
• On-call map to provide a tool for nurses to reach the appropriate physician on call. 
• Survey of GPs in the community to assess reasons for giving up hospital privileges and what might encourage them to return. 
• Photograph board and signatures of GPs to post in nursing stations to improve recognition and communication between nurses and GPs. 
• Central access to patient records on acute units. 
• Improved communication between GPs and nursing staff to discuss patient status. 
• One on-call telephone number for nurses to reach the GP on call within defined call groups. 
• Engagement with family medicine residents to encourage them to stay in Nanaimo.
• Improved financial incentives for physicians with hospital privileges.