Family physicians are the bedrock of BC’s health care system, handling the majority of health issues that patients face over their lifetime. The continuity of care provided by family physicians is associated with improved identification and management of chronic illness, improved patient satisfaction, and fewer hospitalizations and emergency room visits.
While there is clear evidence that longitudinal relationships with family physicians lead to better overall health outcomes and reduced costs to the system, there has been a systemic lack of investment in comprehensive, relationship-based care in BC.
Family Doctors Care: The Role and Value of Family Physicians in British Columbia
In 2022 the BCCFP released a position paper highlighting the importance of access to longitudinal, comprehensive care from a family physician and calling on government for improved support for family medicine in BC.
The Unique Value of Family Physicians
A sample of the evidence that shows that relationship-based, longitudinal family medicine results in better overall health outcomes and reduced costs to the health care system.
You can use the infographic provided to advocate for the protection of the term 'family physician' and 'family doctor' and download a sample written response.
Family Medicine Professional Profile
The Family Medicine Professional Profile is a position statement that defines the discipline of family medicine, describes the scope of practice and training for family physicians, and highlights our philosophy of care.
We believe in the Four Principles of Family Medicine expressed by the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC) to guide the practice of family medicine, residency programs and ongoing learning opportunities for family physicians.
The four principles are:
- The family physician is a skilled clinician.
- Family medicine is a community-based discipline.
- The family physician is a resource to a defined practice population.
- The patient-physician relationship is central to the role of the family physician.
You can read about the principles on the CFPC website.
