About Us

Divisions of Family Practice (Divisions) support family physicians through their local and/or regional structures to enable physicians to connect with each other and address common health care goals in their communities, with the goal of improving patient care.

Divisions work with community and health care partners at the local, regional and provincial levels, including health authorities, non-profit organizations, municipalities and First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples. Collaboratively, they strengthen the voice of family physicians and increase their influence on health care delivery and policy.

Today, 36 Divisions represent more than 230 communities across British Columbia.

The Divisions of Family Practice initiative was created and continues to be supported and funded by the Family Practice Service Committee (FPSC), one of four joint collaborative committees (JCCs) that represent a partnership of the provincial government and Doctors of BC.

Background

In 2009, the FPSC created the Divisions of Family Practice (Divisions) initiative to empower family physicians to build relationships in their communities, support physician leadership, and drive positive change in health care.

Divisions are an important part of BC’s primary health care system. They provide strategic guidance and support for the development, implementation and delivery of comprehensive local primary care systems. This includes their leadership and backbone support role in Primary Care Networks (PCNs) and other primary care initiatives.

Purpose

Divisions work to strengthen family practice and improve primary care in their communities. They:

Bring family physicians together to strengthen clinical practices, offer comprehensive patient services and amplify their collective voice to in health care planning and decision-making.
Support family physician leadership and collaboration with other health care providers, including specialists and nurse practitioners.
Build local partnerships with health authorities (HA), the First Nations Health Authority (FNHA), local First Nations, Indigenous health care organizations, community partners, the Ministry of Health and Doctors of BC, to create innovative solutions that address gaps in care.

Collaboration

Divisions, working with partners, are leaders in developing collaborative and innovative approaches to primary care within their local communities. Through this collaboration:

Family physicians receive professional support to influence the development of primary care services in their communities.
Patients have greater access to high-quality primary care.
Communities and the health care system benefit from stronger local partnerships and more sustainable approaches to care.

Meaningful engagement and collaboration with members and partners is foundational to the work of Divisions. By working together, Divisions and partners can co-design solutions that advance common goals that address community and population health care needs.

FPSC Partnerships & Collaborations team

The FPSC Partnerships & Collaboration team is the central resource team responsible for supporting the Divisions of Family Practice. The team is comprised of three sub-teams:

Partnerships & Divisions Support

The Partnerships & Divisions Support team provides strategic support and resources to Divisions to help build important relationships. This helps elevate the voice of family physicians at collaborative tables and decision-making processes in primary care transformation.

The FPSC Primary Care Transformation Partners (PCTPs) are the key points of contact for Division connection, engagement and support. As trusted advisors, PCTPs build inclusive relationships, support local, regional and provincial partnerships and provide at-elbow support to Divisions.

They provide strategic and backbone support to collaborative tables, including the interdivisional strategic councils (ISCs), regional Division leadership meetings, collaborative services committees, and primary care network planning and implementation.

Divisions Impact

The Divisions Impact team provides centralized governance and leadership support to Divisions and helps them measure and demonstrate collective impact, in alignment with the new Impact Measurement Framework.

This includes analyzing and interpreting data from Divisions, translating findings into meaningful insights, and telling a clear and compelling impact story.

Divisions Knowledge Exchange

The Divisions Knowledge Exchange team creates, curates and facilitates meaningful knowledge sharing and networking opportunities for leaders across Divisions and Primary Care Networks (PCNs).

The team plans and delivers a range of learning and knowledge exchange initiatives that enable peer-to-peer learning and system change. This includes communities of practice, a knowledge-sharing series, online repositories, webinars, and the annual in-person Divisions Learning Session.