BCMA contributes to strong national voice of physicians

A total of 34 BCMA members travelled to Yellowknife in August for the Annual Council of the Canadian Medical Association, joining about 700 physicians from every province and territory to discuss ideas and consider resolutions on key policy issues of importance to doctors, patients, and the health care system.
                
The BCMA submitted 18 resolutions for consideration – the most resolutions of any province. A total of 16 were passed – a clear message of support from the full CMA delegation. 
 
A number of the BC motions dealt with an area of key importance for physicians – ensuring that they have a wide range of tools and mechanisms to do their work.   Resolutions encompassed physician privileging, performance reviews, and a review of different bylaws relating to private medical facilities.  CMA delegates supported resolutions that call for:

•  The development of a physician-created, owned, and managed infrastructure to facilitate Canadian physicians' objective self-assessment. (SS3 9-1)
• A review of policies concerning physician privileges, reappointment and performance review by hospitals and regional health authorities. (DM 5-10)
•   A review of the ability of provincial/territorial physician regulatory bodies to self-regulate independently. (DM 5-11)
• The development of a framework for communication and problem-solving between physicians and regional health authorities. (SS3 9-9)]
•  A review of material differences in the bylaws of the provincial/territorial colleges of physicians and surgeons concerning private medical facilities and report back to General Council. (DM 5-8) 

BCMA resolutions supported by the CMA delegates also focused on supporting people with mental health issues and those who face special challenges in the medical system. These include:

• Providing primary care physicians, and other providers working with them, with the tools to identify, diagnose, and treat mental illness in children and youth. (DM 5-40)
• Development of a comprehensive strategy to address the impact of depression in the workplace. (DM 5-20)
• Develop a strategy to improve the transition of pediatric patients with complex and chronic illness into adult care. (DM 5-41) 

Another theme centered on awareness and research to help large and small communities, in BC and around the world, address health issues. The CMA agreed to:

• Do road safety research and the creation of provincial/territorial evaluation networks to compile, monitor, and analyze pertinent road safety data. (DM 5-18)
• Develop a national education and training strategy on disaster medicine. (DM 5-16)
• Support a comprehensive federal environmental review process, including health impact studies, for all industrial projects. (DM 5-29)
• Support a national strategy to assist communities in the development and implementation of comprehensive health plans to address short- or long-term adverse effects associated with a sudden change in the economic climate. (DM 5-30)
• Recommend that governments provide accessible and affordable transportation options for patients requiring medical services when such services are unavailable locally. (DM 5-42) 

Finally, the BCMA caucus voted in favour of a motion moved by Ontario to support any provincial/territorial medical association in a court challenge should their provincial/territorial government refuse to participate in a fair bargaining process (DM 5-36). The Ontario support motion does not contain any financial responsibility for the voting parties.
 
A full list of all the resolutions presented at the CMA council can be found in the attachments below.

Unconfirmed Resolutions Adopted, 1 of 2 (PDF)
Unconfirmed Resolutions Adopted, 2 of 2 (PDF)

Evaluating BCMA Performance at the 2012 CMA General Council (PDF)