Family Doctors Celebrated as the Foundation of Health Care
BC College of Family Physicians names Dr. Ingrid Cosio as Northern Health’s My Family Doctor Award Recipient

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

VANCOUVER (May 10, 2023) – The BC College of Family Physicians (BCCFP) today announced Dr. Ingrid Cosio as the recipient of the My Family Doctor Award for Northern Health.

Each year, five family physicians receive the patient-nominated award which celebrates the doctor-patient relationship that supports good health.

Dr. Ingrid Cosio has been a partner in a shared group family practice in Prince George for 18 years. Her nominator (a patient) shared that she, “exudes empathy and compassion.” When describing their experience visiting Dr. Cosio’s clinic, they wrote, “Going in feels like you are receiving a warm hug! Dr. Cosio puts you at ease, makes you feel like no question is a stupid one, and is genuinely interested in you as a person.”

Dr. Cosio is a primary preceptor for the UBC Prince George Family Practice Residency program and recently completely a 10-year appointment as the Behavioural Medicine faculty lead at this site. More recently, Dr. Cosio started the Prince George Physician Peer Support Program.

She is also the Physician Lead for the Northern Gender Clinic which provides gender affirming care. A nominator describes Dr. Cosio as “very well respected by her Family Medicine peers and specialists alike, and has been providing gender affirming care to patients for over 10 years.”

The announcement comes ahead of Family Doctor Day, proclaimed in BC and globally, recognizes family doctors as a resource to their communities who provide relationship-based, comprehensive, longitudinal care that improves overall health outcomes.

It also comes at a time when there is wide-spread acknowledgment that primary care is in a state of crisis in BC, and that transformation should include investment in team-based family medicine.

“Evidence shows that having a family doctor who knows you and cares for you over time results in better overall health outcomes, higher patient satisfaction, and fewer hospitalizations and emergency room visits,” says Vancouver-based family physician and BCCFP President, Dr. Justine Spencer.

“This is affirmed by the hundreds of letters we have received from patients sharing how essential their family doctor is to their overall health and quality of life.”

“We launched our awards program as a way to celebrate the exceptional work of family physicians across the province,” says Dr. Spencer. “We received hundreds of nominations for the My Family Doctor awards, this year. Sadly, we also continue to receive messages from people desperate to find a family doctor.”

“In their nomination letters, the public told us that they value the relationships they are able to build with their family doctors, as well as their medical expertise,” says Dr. Spencer. “We’re continuing our advocacy work to create a more sustainable career for family physicians and provide all British Columbians with access to high-quality, culturally safe care.”

About the Award Recipients:

BC Family Physician of the Year – Dr. Jennifer Lush (Victoria)

First Five Years of Practice Award – Dr. Bradley Little (Vancouver)

My Family Doctor Award:

  • Dr. Ingrid Cosio – Prince George
  • Dr. Paul Graham – Chilliwack
  • Dr. Sheldon Howard – Vancouver
  • Dr. Anna Mason – Victoria
  • Dr. Ella Monro – Princeton

BCCFP members also recognized exceptional family medicine residents in the following categories:

  • R2 Resident Award: Rachel Cook (Kamloops), Dr. Robin Craven (Surrey South Fraser) and Dr. Cassia Tremblay (Kootenay Boundary)
  • Dr. Manoo and Jean Gurjar Award: Dr. Arielle Roberts (Campbell River) and Dr. Nique Seper (Vancouver Island)

Read more about our award recipients here.


About the BC College of Family Physicians

The BCCFP is a not-for-profit organization that supports family physicians and advocates for the future of family medicine. We are the home of family medicine in BC, providing leadership, support, advocacy and education for more than 7,000 members from across the province. The BCCFP celebrates the specialty of family medicine and the excellence in patient care family doctors provide. Our members include family physicians, family medicine residents, and medical students interested in pursuing a career in family medicine.

For more information, or to arrange an interview with any of the award recipients, please contact:

Erin Murtagh, BCCFP Communications Manager
[email protected]
604-802-0981

 

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