Advocating for BC’s health care system: Response to bylaw consultation on Physician Assistants

For more than a decade, Doctors of BC has advocated for introducing Physician Assistants (PAs) as a way to extend physician services and meet increasing patient needs. We are pleased that government is taking this important step to welcome them into BC’s health care system, starting in emergency departments.

Doctors of BC is appreciative of the opportunity to participate in the College of Physician and Surgeons of BC’s consultation on bylaw amendments that would establish a licensing and regulatory framework for PAs to work under the delegation and supervision of physicians in emergency departments. In our response to the College we:

• Encourage health authorities to engage with physicians to ensure PA roles and responsibilities effectively address current pressures and challenges, and that work delegated to PAs optimizes their skills and expertise while ensuring quality of care and patient safety. 

• Encourage government to consider expanding the implementation of PAs into other health care settings that require support – such as anesthesia, surgery/OR assists, and primary care – and in communities where access to care is limited or where human health resources are limited.

• Advocate for PAs to be recognized as a registered health profession in BC to allow them to practice in a range of health care setting and under other payment modalities. 

You can read more in our full response.

Doctors of BC supports this positive step and looks forward to continued collaboration with government, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC, and the Canadian Association of Physician Assistants (CAPA) to bring PAs into BC as one solution to ongoing health human resources challenges across the health system.