Submitted by BC Family Doctors

Family doctors are shining a spotlight on the urgent challenges faced by doctors working in rural British Columbia through the launch of a new campaign: ‘Fair Care Everywhere.’ 

“Doctors in rural B.C. are facing immense challenges, from overwhelming workloads to professional isolation,” says Dr. Maryam Zeineddin, president of BC Family Doctors. 

“We need collaborative, equitable solutions to ensure every British Columbian has access to the care they deserve.” 

A rural doctor in B.C. is a one-stop-shop, delivering babies, driving hours to reach patients, managing life-threatening emergencies and providing end-of-life care, all without the support or resources available in urban centres. 

“In rural communities, we do it all—we deliver babies even when there’s no neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), handle emergencies and care for patients with serious conditions using whatever resources we have,” says Dr. Karen Forgie, a rural family doctor for 33 years. “It’s tough, but our communities rely on us.” 

“Family doctors and their specialist colleagues in B.C.’s rural areas are under immense pressure for numerous reasons, which in turn impacts the rest of the health care system, especially the emergency departments which have seen frequent closures,” says Doctors of BC President, Dr Charlene Lui. “Finding solutions to rural physician retention is a key step to providing better health care for rural British Columbians, which will have a trickle-down effect for patients and all health care providers.” 

“Rural health care in B.C. is at a tipping point,” says Dr. Forgie. 

“Without change, the system will collapse, leaving patients without access to even the most basic care. We need urgent action to ensure rural doctors can keep doing the work their communities depend on.” 

The campaign calls for action to address inequities that are putting rural communities at risk. 

Key asks include equitable compensation for rural primary care doctors, more health care staff, and better transportation options for rural patients.