BCCFP Report: Many British Columbians Face Delays in Timely Access to Primary Care

BCCFP is committed to ensuring that our advocacy, on behalf of family physicians across the province, is data informed and evidence driven. As part of this commitment, we undertook a public polling project that examined what timely access to care looks like for British Columbians. This report further underscores what we spoke to in our response to CARGA Report 2, monitoring and evaluation frameworks must look beyond attachment, and family physicians must be central to this work as the most responsible providers. 

What the research shows:

• Patients without a family doctor were up to 3.4 times more likely to visit an ER 3 or times in a year than those with a family doctor.
• Patients without a family doctor were also up to 3.8 times more likely to visit an urgent care center 2 or more times in a year than those with a family doctor. 
• When needing care for an urgent non-life-threatening condition, close to a third (30%) who do not have a family doctor were unable to get an appointment with a healthcare provider.
• When receiving care for an urgent non-life-threatening condition, most British Columbian residents reported receiving that care from a family physician (40.8%)
• Those who do not have a family physician are more likely to say their health issue is unresolved (41%) compared to those who have had a family physician for less than five years (15%) and those who have had one for five years or more (24%)

Findings in this report shed light on gaps in patient access and continuity of care – which we know are a direct result of administrative burden, lack of digital health system interoperability and significant system pressures. 

Family physicians must be given the support they need to deliver the care their patients deserve. This means taking concrete steps to reduce the administrative burden that pulls family physicians away from direct patient care, expanding recruitment and retention in rural and remote communities and investing in family-physician led team-based care. We will continue to advocate for meaningful change in our health care system so that you can most effectively care for your patients and communities. 

You can read the full report here