JCCs showcase physician-led quality improvement work

This past February, more than 375 people gathered in Vancouver to attend the Joint Collaborative Committees’ (JCCs) ‘The Power of Togetherness’ event - an inspiring day of sharing and learning about the diverse quality improvement work taking place in the province. For the last four years, showcasing the range and impact of JCC initiatives has been the goal of this pre-forum event in partnership with the BCPSQC’s annual Quality Forum.

The JCCs have been funding physician-led initiatives to improve BC’s healthcare system for more than 15 years. This unique partnership between Doctors of BC and the BC government has helped create a collaborative environment to effect change – supporting physicians, health authorities, health care professionals, community partners, patients and families to collaborate on solutions together. 

Emceed by Ms. Marilyn Copes (Shared Care Committee, Ministry of Health co-chair) and Dr. Matthew Chow (Specialist Services Committee, Specialist Physician co-chair), the event started with an energizing traditional territorial welcome, followed by an opening message from Dr. Kathleen Ross, President Elect for Doctors of BC. Dr. Ross drew on her own history of involvement in JCC initiatives to emphasize the importance of listening to other perspectives to connect with project partners.

“The rewards of coming together to understand perspectives different from our own to solve important local issues has been truly immeasurable,” she stated. 

Next, as a reminder of the value of the patient and family perspective in system change, a mother and daughter shared their inspiring story about navigating the transgender journey, and what it meant to be included in a JCC project to improve care for transgender youth.  

‘Listening, connecting and inspiring’ were themes that continued throughout the day with over 40 rapid fire presentations and 20 storyboards shared by those leading JCC work. And keynote speaker, Dr. Trevor Hancock provided his own thought-provoking perspective on healthcare through his talk “Sharing Care with Whom: Thinking In and Outside the Healthcare Box”- where he advocates for ‘health in all policies’ in areas such as poverty reduction, food, housing, among others. 

A storyboard reception wrapped up a successful day with a People’s Choice Storyboard Award presented to Dr. Marilyn Thorpe for the “PIT Crew” model of supporting counselling at the University of Victoria (supported by the Specialist Services Committee), and the JCC Co-Chairs Story Board Award presented to the Delta Division of Family Practice for a Health Hub to support seniors in assisted living (supported by the Shared Care Committee). 

We wish to thank all participants for contributing to this inspiring day. 

Learn more about the work featured at the event here, and view photos from the day here (login: JCC, password: JCC).