SSC Physician engagement gains traction across BC eaningful physician engagement Facility Engagement in action issues during the opening of new hospital is essential to a health care orga- As a first step to creating a foundation for col- campuses. nization’s ability to deliver high- laboration, many MSAs have improved physi- • At Providence Health Care in Vancouver, quality, cost-effective patient care. But for the cian-to-physician relationships. This is the most six physician leads were selected to repre- M notable change associated with Facility Engage- past 2 decades—as BC’s health authorities were sent the voice of medical staff and work regionalized and doctors in hospitals became ment to date, as reported in the 2019 evaluation alongside senior health authority executives even busier with capacity and wait-list pres- of the initiative (www.facilityengagement.ca/ to carry out the organization’s new 7-year sures—doctors and administrators have been evaluation). Two examples of the 160-plus ac- strategic priorities and clinical/master plan- challenged to build effec- tivities with this goal are: ning. More than 120 physicians were en- tive collaborative process- Since Facility • The BC Cancer Agen- gaged to provide ideas and perspectives to es that ensure physicians Engagement was cy’s new medical staff help create the plan. are included in decision association created a Physicians are also looking to improve their making about their work introduced 4 years common forum for all work environment and patient care, initiat- environment and patient ago, 72 medical staff physicians providing ing more than 200 collaborative projects with care. associations (MSAs) cancer care to collaborate hospital administrators, front-line staff, and But now that’s chang- have partnered across disciplines and re- regional health authority leaders. ing. The Specialist Servic- gions, allowing them to • Last year, physicians at Trail’s Kootenay with their health es Committee’s Facility connect with each other, Boundary Regional Hospital engaged the Engagement Initiative authorities to build and discuss care of their entire hospital—from specialists to admin- supports physicians who a new foundation patients and personal istrators to cleaners—in an extraordinary work in acute care facili- for collaboration. well-being. effort that reduced surgical site infections ties across BC to establish • Internists and family to well below the national average, and the formal structures that in- doctors working at the overall hospital infection rate by 50%. crease their voice and in- University Hospital of • At Lions Gate Hospital in North Van- fluence in their hospital and region. Northern British Columbia in Prince couver, an emergency room physician Since Facility Engagement was introduced George met to better understand each engaged clinical and support staff and ad- 4 years ago, 72 medical staff associations other’s pressures and needs, improve com- ministration in a collaborative effort to re- (MSAs) have partnered with their health au- munication, and explore ways to increase organize space, processes, and manpower thorities to build a new foundation for col- inpatient coverage, leading to collaboration in the department. The changes improved laboration. With funding available for MSA with Northern Health to create a general patient flow and wait times, communication administrative and management support and internal medicine unit. between doctors and nurses, and reduced physician sessional time, MSAs are setting Improved communication with health au- in nonphysician tasks. priorities, renewing relationships with health thorities is another notable change. Physicians, Physicians have also taken the oppor- authority leaders, and initiating collaborative administrators, and health authority executives tunity to explore how they can reduce the activities—more than 1400 to date. are meeting regularly and establishing collab- risk of burnout and provide patient care in Thanks to these efforts, the tide is starting orative processes. More physicians are taking on a healthier way. Physician health is a com- to turn. leadership roles. Progress to date is illustrated mon theme for MSA’s facility engagement by dozens of examples, such as: work, with more than 100 related activities • In Comox-Campbell River, Facility En- underway across BC. gagement opened the door to dialogue • A region-wide collaborative effort to stimu- This article is the opinion of the Specialist and a new working relationship between late action and elevate medical staff well- Services Committee and has not been the physicians and the health authority, being as a strategic organizational/system peer reviewed by the BCMJ Editorial which led to the resolution of congestion priority is underway in Fraser Health, Board. 392 BC MEDICAL JOURNAL VOL. 61 NO. 10 | DECEMBER 2019 SSC representing 12 acute care sites as well as divisions in the community. • The Physician Wellness Committee at Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops has identified a number of strategies and actions to support physician health, including a FACILITY peer group that provides a safe, confiden- tial environment for physicians to discuss ENGAGEMENT An SSC Initiative challenges and critical incidents. Facility Engagement is also supporting medical staff engagement in the implementa- FORT ST. JOHN GENERAL HOSPITAL tion of electronic health records, starting with NORTHERN HEALTH DAWSON CREEK & DISTRICT HOSPITAL Lower Mainland hospitals that are adopting CHETWYND GENERAL HOSPITAL WRINCH MEMORIAL HOSPITAL the Cerner system. BULKLEY VALLEY MACKENZIE & DISTRICT HOSPITAL DISTRICT HOSPITAL PRINCE RUPERT MILLS MEMORIAL REGIONAL HOSPITAL NORTHERN HAIDA HOSPITAL STUART LAKE HOSPITAL GWAII HOSPITAL AND HEALTH CENTRE LAKES DISTRICT HOSPITAL Moving forward & HEALTH CENTRE QUEEN CHARLOTTE ISLANDS ST. JOHN HOSPITAL GENERAL HOSPITAL There is more work to be done to achieve sus- BC CANCER AGENCY THE UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL OF CENTRE FOR THE NORTH NORTHERN BRITISH COLUMBIA tained change, and further evaluation of the Facility Engagement Initiative will determine its ongoing impact. Meanwhile, physicians and BRITISH COLUMBIA MCBRIDE & DISTRICT HOSPITAL health authority leaders from many parts of the R.W. LARGE MEMORIAL HOSPITAL province report they are making headway. They VANCOUVER are building trust and having constructive con- COASTAL G.R. BAKER MEMORIAL HOSPITAL versations about plans and decisions that impact HEALTH CARIBOO MEMORIAL HOSPITAL their hospitals, programs, and patient services. PORT HARDY HOSPITAL 100 MILE DISTRICT DR. HELMCKEN GENERAL HOSPITAL MEMORIAL HOSPITAL A sense of optimism is fueling the initiative PORT MCNEILL & DISTRICT HOSPITAL CORMORANT ISLAND across BC as physicians enjoy renewed team- HEALTH CENTRE INTERIOR work and make positive changes that make a HEALTH GOLDEN & DISTRICT ISLAND CAMPBELL RIVER & GENERAL HOSPITAL difference to their work culture and their pa- DISTRICT GENERAL SHUSWAP LAKE QUEEN VICTORIA HOSPITAL GENERAL HOSPITAL HOSPITAL HEALTH ROYAL INLAND HOSPITAL LILLOOET HOSPITAL & HEALTH CENTRE INVERMERE & DISTRICT tients’ experience and care. HOSPITAL ST. JOSEPH’S GENERAL POWELL RIVER GENERAL HOSPITAL VERNON JUBILEE HOSPITAL Read what physicians are saying about Facil- ARROW LAKES HOSPITAL NICOLA VALLEY SECHELT HOSPITAL KELOWNA GENERAL HOSPITAL TOFINO GENERAL HOSPITAL NANAIMO HOSPITAL & HEALTH CENTRE WEST COAST REGIONAL BC CANCER AGENCY ity Engagement at www.facilityengagement.ca/ GENERAL GENERAL CENTRE FOR THE HOSPITAL HOSPITAL SOUTHERN INTERIOR COWICHAN LADY MINTO / DISTRICT GULF ISLANDS FRASER PRINCETON PENTICTON REGIONAL HOSPITAL whatschanging. Read more examples of progress HOSPITAL HOSPITAL CANYON GENERAL SAANICH PENINSULA HOSPITAL HOSPITAL HOSPITAL n SOUTH OKANAGAN GENERAL HOSPITAL at www.facilityengagement.ca/stories. BC CANCER ROYAL JUBILEE & KOOTENAY LAKE HOSPITAL AGENCY VICTORIA GENERAL KOOTENAY BOUNDARY EAST KOOTENAY VANCOUVER HOSPITALS BOUNDARY HOSPITAL REGIONAL HOSPITAL —Sam Bugis, MD ISLAND CENTRE REGIONAL HOSPITAL FRASER CRESTON VALLEY HOSPITAL & ELK VALLEY Vice President, Physician Affairs and Specialist HEALTH CENTRE HOSPITAL HEALTH Practice —Cindy Myles SQUAMISH GENERAL HOSPITAL CHILLIWACK GENERAL HOSPITAL Director, Facility Physician Engagement, ABBOTSFORD REGIONAL Specialist Services Committee MISSION MEMORIAL HOSPITAL HOSPITAL BC CANCER VANCOUVER AGENCY ABBOTSFORD COASTAL CENTRE RIDGE MEADOWS HEALTH HOSPITAL LANGLEY MEMORIAL HOSPITAL LIONS GATE HOSPITAL UBC / VGH HOSPITALS FRASER & G.F. STRONG REHAB BC CANCER FORENSIC BC CENTRE CENTRE AGENCY PSYCHIATRIC FOR DISEASE VANCOUVER HOSPITAL CONTROL HEALTH CENTRE ROYAL COLUMBIAN & EAGLE RIDGE HOSPITALS BURNABY HOSPITAL SURREY MEMORIAL HOSPITAL ST. PAUL’S & CHILDREN’S MOUNT ST. JOSEPH & WOMEN’S BC CANCER AGENCY HOSPITALS HOSPITAL AND FRASER VALLEY CARE CENTRE CENTRE PROVINCIAL HEALTH SERVICE AUTHORITY (PHSA) RICHMOND HOSPITAL BC Women’s and Children’s PEACE ARCH DISTRICT Hospital HOSPITAL Forensic Psychiatric Hospital BC Cancer Agencies across B.C. DELTA HOSPITAL BC Centre for Disease Control BC MEDICAL JOURNAL VOL. 61 NO. 10 | DECEMBER 2019 393 Banner Map V4.indd 1 2016-05-29 9:13 PM.