VMDAS and VPSA President Dr. Ka Wai Cheung was the speaker at our latest Lunch and Learn session. She explained the roles VMDAS and VPSA play and also talked about their associated activities and why and how to get involved.
VMDAS stands for Vancouver Medical, Dental and Allied Staff Association and is the medical staff association for professionals working in Vancouver Acute and Vancouver Community. Its goals are to increase member involvement in the provision of medical services and to represent and advocate for all members through regular meetings with senior leadership. There are over 2,000 VMDAS members who work as physicians, nurse practitioners, dentists, maxillofacial surgeons, optometrists, podiatric surgeons, and scientific researchers.
VPSA, an acronym for Vancouver Physician Staff Association, was created in 2016 as part of the provincial Facility Engagement Initiative, with funding from the Doctors of BC. Its goals are to improve our work environment, improve the delivery of patient care, and increase meaningful physician involvement in health authority decisions.
Both VMDAS and VPSA are overseen by the same board; members are elected and/or confirmed at the shared annual general meeting. (The next AGM is December 16.) Board members, Dr. Cheung noted, represent diverse departments and divisions.
VPSA has several committees and task groups that work to fulfill its mission:
“We represent member interests through engaging with Vancouver Coastal Health Authority and our physician community to build a more collaborative, inclusive, caring, and connected community at work to support best patient care.”
Dr. Cheung described the committees and task groups, some of which are run by VPSA alone while others are led in conjunction with VA and VC or VCH. She noted that both the Projects Committee and the VA/VC Medical Staff Planetary Health Committee are currently recruiting new members.
Dr. Cheung went on to describe why she encourages members to get engaged, remarking that it helps you, it helps your patients, and it helps your colleagues. Engagement can take many forms, such as attending the monthly lunches at VGH and UBHC, attending a community event, or the VMDAS quarterly meetings and AGM. You can help improve our work environment by sending kudos to a VPSA colleague, starting a commensality group, applying for a Small Steps, Big Idea quality improvement project, joining one of our task groups or committees, or joining our board.
Dr. Cheung closed her presentation by talking about the benefits she has enjoyed by getting involved. She finds the work creative and a healthy break from what she does as an emergency physician. She also appreciates the connections and friendships she has made with people from other departments and the difference she sees her (and others’) efforts making in improving our workplace.
VPSA offers Lunch and Learn sessions on the third Friday of every month. Attend either in person in the VMDAS Hub for Engagement at VGH or online. Representatives from each of our task groups and committees offer short presentations about their latest initiatives and opportunities. Next up: the VCH Medical Staff Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee on November 15. Watch your weekly Checkup e-newsletter for registration details.