Opinion: In many other provinces, Community Health Centres use salaried health providers who can address many health and social care issues.
The B.C. government has announced it will provide family physicians with an extra $27,000 over four months to address the province’s crisis in access to primary health care, in which an estimated one in five British Columbians have no family doctor.Sign up to know what's really happening by reading daily editorials and commentary by British Columbia's opinion leadersBy clicking on the sign up button you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.
The funding model provides little money for the many health and social care providers desperately needed in our communities whose contribution can significantly relieve pressures on the health system and physician workforce. There is extensive, peer-reviewed research indicating that high-quality primary health care is best delivered through systems using the training and expertise of a wide range of different health providers working as teams.
In many other provinces, Community Health Centres provide a wide range of primary health care services. They use salaried health providers working cooperatively in teams, with each contributing their expertise to meeting patient needs. They are governed by elected boards mandated to consult with their communities. CHCs are funded globally, providing the capacity to respond to current and emerging health challenges.
Yet B.C. has very few CHCs which even approach this comprehensive model with its full spectrum of services. The province has rejected global funding, a method proven to support the broad range of services CHCs can provide. The closest to this model is REACH in East Vancouver. But it does not get core funding for many activities CHCs normally perform in other provinces.