In the News

  • New centralized waitlist connects Cowichan residents with family doctors

    THE DISCOURSE: Residents of the Cowichan region no longer need to call individual clinics in hopes of finding a family doctor who will accept new patients. As of April 2021, there’s a new, centralized waitlist for people seeking a primary care provider. People can register for the Health Connect Registry online or by calling HealthLinkBC at 811. 

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  • Health professionals helicopter into isolated Nicomen community

    MERRITT HERALD: On Dec. 3 a helicopter carrying health and mental health professionals took off from the Merritt airport en route to Nicomen. Nicomen, an indigenous community of roughly 50 people located just off Hwy 1 east of Lytton, has been cut off since the only bridge providing access collapsed in the extreme flooding event of Nov. 15.

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  • Esquimalt urgent and primary care centre opens at permanent location

    CTV News Vancouver Island: Esquimalt's urgent and primary care centre (UPCC) opened at its new permanent location on Monday morning, a move that will increase accessibility and operating hours, according to the province. The UPCC is now located at 890 Esquimalt Rd. and is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. In June, the UPCC opened at a temporary location at the Esquimalt Health Unit at 530 Fraser St. Now, more patients will be able to use the UPCC at its permanent location on Esquimalt Road, which only recently finished construction.

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  • New primary care health centre opens in Cranbrook

    Trail Times: A new health care facility is opening in Cranbrook, aimed at providing care for urgent but non life-threatening conditions, and connecting local residents to a regular primary care provider. The Urgent and Primary Care Centre (UPCC), which officially opens on Wednesday (Dec. 8) at the Baker St. Mall, will initially be staffed full-time by 15 health care professionals — with a planned build out to 28 — consisting of physicians, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, physiotherapists and social workers.

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  • Fort Nelson physicians join Rural and Remote Division of Family Practice

    Energeticcity.ca: The Fort Nelson physician group has taken the next step in realizing the vision of creating locally innovative, accessible and sustainable health services for the Northern Rockies Region by joining the Rural and Remote Division of Family Practice.

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  • Campaign kicking off to show doctors in Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows the community cares

    MAPLE RIDGE-PITT MEADOWS NEWS: Doctors are involved in peoples entire lives from birth until death. They listen to their patients problems and diagnose health issues as best they can to make sure we live the healthiest lives possible. This holiday season the Division of Family Practice wants residents of Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows to show doctors in the community that they are appreciated.

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  • Patient advisory group seeks Kootenay Boundary members

    Trail Times: If you’re interested in making health care more patient and family-centred, then the Kootenay Boundary Patient Advisory Committee and Community (PACC) may be the group for you. PACC is looking for new members. PACC provides input into decisions related to the Kootenay Boundary Collaborative Services Committee (CSC), a group of health care leaders, providers and coordinators, and Indigenous and patient partners. The CSC is tasked with advancing primary health care through enhanced team-based care in acute, residential, and community care settings.

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  • New Community Health Centre coming to the West Shore

    CHEK News: The B.C. government has announced that a new Community Health Centre (CHC) will be opening for families on the West Shore in spring 2022. The new centre will offer people and families living in Colwood, Langford, Highlands and Metchosin more access to everyday primary healthcare services and social supports once it officially opens at 324 Goldstream Avenue in Colwood. The new CHC will be a community-governed, not-for-profit organization with services tailored to meet the health needs of the community. The new centre will offer 16 exam rooms and six virtual care stations and support areas, according to the government.

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  • Opinion: Look to Primary Care Networks for COVID-19 support

    New West Record: The Thanksgiving holiday prompts us to nurture gratitude – the appreciation of the good in our lives past and present – and it reminds us to think of our neighbours who are in need. On the top of the list, our personal connections... Throughout the pandemic, Burnaby’s Primary Care Networks have coordinated social supports in their community. If you or someone you know is a Burnaby resident and requires some assistance, please connect on their website... The Burnaby Division of Family Practice’s Empowering Patients public health education program also provides handouts, slides and videos to remind the entire community of what screening tests are required at different ages and what type of physical symptoms should prompt a visit to your doctor. This information is freely available on the Division’s website. 

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  • Dr. Karin Kausky named Whistler's Citizen of the Year

    Pique News Magazine: Dr. Karin Kausky is Whistler's 2021 Citizen of the Year. The Whistler Medical Clinic physician was one of 10 individuals and organizations who were honoured as Whistler’s business community gathered virtually on Thursday night, Sept. 16, to celebrate its best and brightest at the annual Whistler Excellence Awards. "It is such an honour to be nominated for this award, let alone selected from such an inspiring group of people," Kausky said in her acceptance speech. 

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  • New West doctors tackle COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy with multi-language videos

    New West Record: Fraser Northwest Division of Family Practice recently launched a campaign called Physician on a Mission to tackle vaccine hesitancy by amplifying the voices of family physicians in the Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, New Westminster, Vancouver and Greater Vancouver regions. This campaign was funded by the Public Health Agency of Canada through the Vaccine Community Innovation Challenge.

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  • VIDEO: New campaign has Tri-City physicians 'on a mission' to ease COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy

    TriCity News: Family doctors across the Tri-Cities are teaming up with colleagues in hopes of reaching out to residents who are still unsure if they want to get a COVID-19 vaccination. The video series features three regional doctors — two from Coquitlam and one in Port Moody — speaking their thoughts on why eligible people aged 12 years and older should get jabbed. It was also produced in multiple languages and focuses primarily on minority groups, as well as young people.

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  • Cranbrook urgent and primary care centre coming

    E-know: People in Cranbrook and neighbouring communities will have increased access to health care with a new urgent and primary care centre (UPCC) opening in November at 1311-2nd Street. The Cranbrook UPCC is a collaboration between Interior Health, the Ministry of Health, the East Kootenay Division of Family Practice and the Ktunaxa Nation. This UPCC is part of the East Kootenay Primary Care Network (PCN).

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  • Can primary care networks solve Greater Victoria's family doctor gap?

    Capital Daily Podcast: In late July, B.C.'s Ministry of Health announced their next steps in working to solve Greater Victoria's primary care shortage: the creation of four new Primary Care Networks, and the unveiling of a new Urgent and Primary Care Centre in downtown Victoria. We hear from Dr Kathy Dabrus, family doctor and member of the Victoria Division of Family Practice, about how she thinks this will help, and her hopes for the changes to come.

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  • Kootenay Boundary introduces new tools for chronic pain patients and health-care providers

    Trail Times: Kootenay Boundary Division of Family Practice announced that it has launched a new set of tools to support patients living with chronic pain. Patients and their health-care providers can now easily access information on referrals, services, education, self-management support, and more. These have been developed as part of the Kootenay Boundary Shared Care Chronic Pain Project, with the input and guidance of local physicians, allied health care practitioners, and patient partners living with chronic pain.

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  • Getting urgent primary care in Victoria - we speak with a doctor

    CBC Listen | On the Island with Gregor Craigie: David Lennam spoke with Dr. Kathy Dabrus, a Victorian family physician who has been involved in the development of the primary care networks and the new Urgent and Primary Care Centre.

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  • B.C. unveils new urgent and primary care centre in Victoria

    CTV News: A new urgent and primary care centre is open in downtown Victoria, B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix announced Wednesday. The centre opened on July 19 near the corner of Pandora and Cook streets. It will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily for urgent care, and from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday for longitudinal care. The centre will be open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays for longitudinal care, and closed on Sundays and holidays for non-urgent care. Urgent and primary care centres (UPCC) provide medical services for urgent needs that require medical treatment within 24 hours, such as minor cuts or burns, sprains, ear infections or urinary problems.

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  • Williams Lake city eyes action plan to address doctor shortage

    The Williams Lake Tribune: Williams Lake city council is hoping to meet with the minister of health this fall to discuss the area’s doctor shortage. Local government officials can request to have scheduled meetings during the Union of BC Municipalities Convention with various cabinet ministers and during the regular meeting Tuesday, June 22, Coun. Sheila Boehm asked that a meeting about the doctor shortage with the Minister of Health be added to the list... Coun. Boehm and Coun. Marnie Brenner told council they attended a meeting with the Central Interior Rural Division of Family Practice (CIRDFP) and Cariboo North MLA Coralee Oakes to share their concerns.

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  • Drop-in COVID vaccine clinics now available for Powell River youth

    My Powell River Now: It’s now even easier for Powell River youth between the ages of 12 and 17 to get their first dose of a COVID vaccine. Anyone born between 2004 and 2009 can now drop in to get a Pfizer-BioNTech COVID vaccine at the Complex Clinic on the top floor of the Powell River Recreation Centre. Drop ins are available Tuesdays and Wednesdays between 9:15am and 4:00pm. No appointments are necessary for these clinics.

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  • VCH encourages Powell River residents to register for COVID-19 vaccination

    My Powell River Now: Vancouver Coastal Health is issuing a reminder to people in Powell River and surrounding areas to register for a COVID vaccine. To receive an alert to book your appointment, you have to be registered here. www.gov.bc.ca/getvaccinated. All those born in 2009 or earlier (12+ years of age) are eligible to receive their first dose, with second dose appointments scheduled for around eight weeks after your appointment.

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