Member update | July 2023

After Hours Coverage Program

Dear Victoria & South Island Members,

We are excited to announce that sign up is now open for the After Hours Coverage Program pilot, launching mid-to-late September (assuming sufficient physicians sign up to staff the service). Keep reading to learn more.

Addressing a top burden facing family physicians

In the summer 2022 engagement series, family doctors indicated that the requirement to provide after-hours care was one of the top three burdens they face, and for new graduates, it was often a barrier to going into longitudinal practice. Similar frustrations have been expressed by longitudinal nurse practitioners.

The After Hours Coverage Program is a direct result of those engagements. It aims to reduce this burden - while also improving patient access to care outside of regular office hours. With guidance from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC and in partnership with HealthLink BC and five divisions of family practice, Family Practice Services Committee (DoBC) has developed this provincial solution to benefit patients, physicians and nurse practitioners, and our overall health care system.