Since 2019, medical staff at VGH have been able to gather in a space dedicated to their needs. The space’s name has recently been changed from the Physician Hub for Engagement and Wellness to the VMDAS Hub for Engagement and Wellness. “We made this name change to be inclusive of other members of the medical staff,” said VMDAS and VPSA President Dr. Alison Harris. “We want all our members who … Read More
DEI committee working to #BreakTheBias
For the fourth straight year, the VCH Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee is working to highlight women medical staff and their extraordinary contributions to our health authority on International Women’s Day—March 8. Led by VCH DEI International Women’s Day 2022 Chair, Dr. Helen Kwoo, committee members are promoting this year’s theme of Break the Bias. Keynote speaker Dr. Golnaz Golnaraghi will tackle the issue head on with her presentation on … Read More
Division using funding to tackle systemic barriers to wellness
Like their colleagues in other divisions and departments, physicians working in General Internal Medicine are experiencing high levels of burnout. The division head, Dr. Nadia Khan, has made physician wellness a division priority and appointed Dr. Lawrence Chow as wellness champion for the VGH group. “Our approach has been to differentiate between burnout and wellness,” said Dr. Chow, who identified four other colleagues at VGH to be part of a … Read More
New strategic plan guides VPSA actions
The Vancouver Physician Staff Association has a new strategic plan. The plan, which has been endorsed by the board, will guide VPSA’s actions over the next three years. “VPSA’s funding is intended to foster meaningful consultation and collaboration between its members and VCH,” said the association’s president, Dr. Alison Harris. “To that end, we have updated our strategic pillars and created a five-year vision along with the priorities we need … Read More
Learning to deliver difficult news with sensitivity
We have all been there. Not all medical procedures go as intended and it is often left to physicians to deliver distressing news. Communicating unexpected medical outcomes is daunting. It can create fear and anxiety for everyone involved. It is important to know how to convey unanticipated results in a sensitive manner, but few physicians receive communication training. As part of a provincial quality improvement initiative, VPSA is working with … Read More