The President of Doctors of B.C. says provincial and municipal government collaboration is key to addressing family doctor shortages.

With almost one million patients without a family physician in British Columbia, Dr. Ramneek Dosanjh says local incentives from municipalities will help recruit doctors.

However, she stresses the province must step up to address the rising costs of keeping doors open.

“We really need to work collaboratively together both at the municipal level and at the provincial level. We really need to make sure that everyone understands that this is healthcare is everyone’s issue,” she says.

“And it is really important to make sure that at all levels of influence that we guide with the principles that are going to be able to keep family doctors and primary care, which is the foundation of our health care system afloat.”

Dr. Dosanjh says the Thompson Regional Division of Family Physicians has implemented initiatives to recruit family doctors.

“Your community has been doing some amazing initiatives to be able to help offload those family physicians. We know that you guys have a Practice Here Program, which is linking the new candidates with established community members to show what the community has to offer.”

However, she says there needs to be a unified front with the provincial government and partnerships to source “equitable solutions.”

“We need not just certain communities getting this help from their municipality government. We need to have the provincial government involved and try to make it an equitable solution to everyone, no matter where you’re practicing.”

Dr. Dosanjh illustrates the B.C. government “must” address the rising cost of doing business.

“There are issues such as the operating business costs and critical infrastructure funding, also reducing the burden of care, you know, it’s not fair that physicians are spending time away from doctoring.”

Dr. Dosanjh believes if the province helped with rising inflation costs, it would then, trickle down to ensure the local initiatives work in physic