Post Archive by Month

During the pandemic, physicians and other medical staff were portrayed in the media as both heroes and as professionals who are burned out and on the verge of leaving their chosen field. The truth is more complicated, as Dr. Julia Smith noted in her two presentations to VCH medical staff in celebration of International Women’s Day. Dr. Smith, an associate professor at SFU’s Faculty of Health Sciences and the lead … Read More

VPSA/VMDAS board and staff meet monthly with VCH senior leaders to develop a collaborative relationship between medical staff and the health authority. Those attending the March meeting heard updates on the work of the VA/VC Medical Staff Planetary Health Committee and the VA/VC Physician Wellness Steering Committee. The group also discussed ways to make the meetings more meaningful. Planetary health update Dr. Rashmi Chadha, co-chair of the Planetary Health Committee, … Read More

We are pleased to welcome three more VPSA members who are working to improve medical staff engagement by taking part on our committees. Drs. Colin Siu and Christopher Skappak have joined the VPSA Projects Committee, while Drs. Siu and Simone Schülein are now members of the VCH Medical Staff Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee. The Projects Committee develops the process and criteria for annual project selection and provides ongoing leadership … Read More

Vancouver General Hospital implemented the CST Cerner clinical information system on November 5, 2022. This was the largest phase in a project that will see all Vancouver Coastal Health sites plus the Provincial Health Services Authority and Providence Health Care sharing the same electronic health management system. It was also one of the largest Cerner deployments in North America to date. VPSA’s CST Task Group worked closely with the VGH … Read More

Our health-care system is in crisis and physician burnout is significant. A 2021 wellness survey carried out by the VCH Emergency Department identified a 75 per cent burnout rate among its 71 physicians and locums. While many drivers of stress can only be addressed at an organizational level, three Emergency Department members are acting as wellness champions for their colleagues: Drs. Ka Wai Cheung, Ariana Murata, and Zafrina Poonja. “We … Read More