VMDAS/VPSA board and staff meet regularly with VCH senior leaders to develop a collaborative relationship between medical staff and the health authority. The April meeting included updates on this month’s resident appreciation event, measures to prevent workplace violence, ways to show appreciation for our Vancouver Community colleagues, information on the new VA Provider Digital Health Committee, and an overview of VPSA’s plans for 2025/26.

Resident recognition

The third annual Resident Recognition and Appreciation Event is coming up on Tuesday, April 22. Some 70 people have registered, including approximately 35 residents. All medical staff, fellows including international fellows, residents, and trainees are welcome.

VPSA will promote the event at its April 11 lunch at VGH. Among the speakers: Dr. Vinay Dhingra, Dr. Ka Wai Cheung, VA VP Michelle de Moor, and a resident representative. Meeting participants discussed ways to encourage attendance and make the event as inclusive as possible. Changing the name to Residents and Fellows Appreciation Event was suggested for next year.

(You can register for the event here.)

VPSA engagement with VCH Violence Prevention Team

Dr. Cheung confirmed that VPSA will continue to provide sessional payments to physicians who participate on the local and regional Violence Prevention committees.

VPSA is also hoping to work with the RCMP to host a personal safety workshop for members this summer.

Engagement with Vancouver Community

Dr. Cheung has had discussions with VC VP Bob Chapman and VC’s Interim Senior Medical Director Dr. Vandad Yousefi regarding the creation of the credentialed medical provider (CMP) designation for physicians who are no longer privileged. Technically, these physicians no longer qualify for VMDAS’s annual awards as they do not pay MSA dues. There may be an opportunity to change VMDAS’s bylaws to allow CMPs to be included. An alternative may be to have VPSA host awards for CMPs.

The group will continue to seek solutions.

VPSA has just begun planning its annual VC Networking and Appreciation Event. The date and details will be shared with members once these are finalized.

VA Provider Digital Health Committee update

Dr. Dhingra and Laura Mc Evoy reported on the most recent meeting of the group, which took place April 9. They both noted that the committee is working well together and tackling actionable items. A VA DHC dashboard has been created in Cerner; reviewing this will allow members to prioritize actions for the informatics team. The committee is looking into ways to address care issues and care gaps and is also looking to standardize one tool to address non-emergency situations. A preliminary conversation about how to access data in Cerner is underway.

VPSA has extended its funding of physician time for committee members, with Ms. Mc Evoy exploring options for continued funding beyond the current fiscal year. There was discussion about possibly accessing Doctors of BC’s health redesign funding stream.

Overview of VPSA’s plans for 2025/26

VPSA Operations Director Andrew Pinfold provided a snapshot of VPSA’s activities for the current fiscal year, which are tied to the association’s strategic plan. Areas of possible collaboration with VCH were highlighted. These include civility initiatives (registration is now open for Why Civility Matters in a Complex World), expanding commensality group funding to medical staff and operations leaders, providing wellness funding to departments and divisions, and creating a local EDI committee.

These and other issues will be discussed in more depth at future meetings. VPSA recognizes that for these concerns to be relevant it must engage and collaborate with partners including VCH. Further discussion revealed that recruitment and retention are hotspots for VCH and that anything that can be done to demonstrate that VA and VC are great places to work is worthwhile.

Next meeting

The group next meets on May 8. If you have an item you wish to be brought forward at these meetings, please contact VPSA Operations Director Andrew Pinfold.