BC Family Doctor Day highlights work of 6,500 family doctors
The provincial government has proclaimed May 19 as BC Family Doctor Day in honour of the work of more than 6,500 family doctors who form the cornerstone of BC’s primary care system.
Family doctors care for patients in a variety of settings – the birthing suite, the speciality clinic, the emergency room, the hospital, the nursing home and the hospice, as well as the traditional doctor’s office. This also includes working within health care teams or primary care networks to offer comprehensive, coordinated care.
To mark the day, the BC College of Family Physicians (BCCFP) is recognizing exceptional family doctors from communities across the province nominated by their patients or peers for this year’s BCCFP awards: My Family Doctor; First Five Years of Practice; and Innovations in Primary Care.
BCCFP president, Dr. Jeanette Boyd, notes that more than 300 patients nominated their own doctors for the My Family Doctor awards, sharing some inspiring and moving stories about the value of the patient-doctor relationship.
“It is incredibly inspiring to read about the difference that my colleagues make in the lives of patients and their families,” she says.
“As family doctors, our work is grounded in patient-centred care. Through the development of the doctor-patient relationship, we are able to know our patients, and use this knowledge to guide and advise our patients to manage their health needs; both immediately and in the long term. From the nominations, it was clear to see how much patients appreciate having a compassionate and understanding advocate working with them, whether they are raising a young family or coping with chronic or critical illness.”
This year, the BCCFP is giving out five My Family Doctor awards, honouring recipients from each of BC’s health regions, as well as two peer-nominated awards. The First Five Years of Practice Award goes to a physician practising in Prince George, and the Innovations in Primary Care Award to a team of family doctors from the Pacific Northwest Division of Family Practice (Houston, Smithers, Terrace and Haida Gwaii).
May 19 is also World Family Doctor Day, a day designated by the World Organization of Family Doctors (WONCA) to highlight the role and contribution of family doctors in health care systems world-wide.
BCCFP Award Recipients:
First Five Years of Practice Award
- Terri Aldred (Prince George)
Innovations in Primary Care Award
- CHANGE BC (Pacific Northwest Division of Family Practice – Houston, Smithers, Terrace and Haida Gwaii):
Family doctor leads: Drs. Jocelyn Black, Brenda Huff, Greg Linton, Matthew Menard, Wouter Morkel and Onuora Odoh.
My Family Doctor Award
- Fraser Health: Nick Petropolis (New Westminster)
- Interior Health: Leona Harries (Penticton)
- Island Health: Kevin Martin (Nanaimo)
- Northern Health: Bent Hougesen (Hazelton)
- Vancouver Coastal Health: Kelsey Kozoriz (Vancouver)
For more information about all award recipients, visit bccfp.bc.ca.
About the BC College of Family Physicians
The BC College of Family Physicians, a Chapter of the College of Family Physicians of Canada, is the professional home of family medicine in BC, providing leadership, support, advocacy, and education on behalf of more than 5,700 members.
Media Contact
Anne McLaughlin
604-788-0018
