Building Momentum When We Need Each Other Most

The last two years have been unprecedented. Healthcare workers didn't know what was coming with the pandemic, nor what more would be expected of them. There was no way to anticipate the effect it would have simultaneously on colleagues and the counterparts around the world. Since 2020, we've seen physicians struggling as the demands and uncertainty have been a heavy load to endure. Under the pressures of the last few years, systems are crumbling, and healthcare professionals are burnt out. As an organization that supports physicians, we recognize the challenges primary care physicians experienced around the province, as many of their clinics transformed overnight, while they continued to serve patients, communities and support each other.

While pressures on the healthcare system have increased, so has support for a method to gain better insights into primary care. In 2021/22, HDC physician enrolment increased by 123% and new data flow increased by 192%, greatly growing our user base. Within the first 9 months of the GPSC HDC Payment Program, HDC delivered over 475 orientation sessions to support physicians who were looking at their own data within HDC Discover for the first time. More and more physicians are looking for insights from their data, specifically data that shows the pandemic impact on their practices. This data can serve them and their communities to ultimately understand what is working well and identify opportunities to improve their patients' care. It's inspiring that the commitment to quality care remains strong despite increased stress on existing responsibilities.

The collective work of physicians and their teams has not gone unnoticed. We have proven that healthcare is a team sport. Thank you to the physicians that have used their practice data to reinforce their strengths and help guide their focus. Doctors throughout BC are contributing, viewing, sharing, and collaborating over an ever-growing number of relevant clinical measures with colleagues in their own clinics, Divisions, regions and around the province.

We have witnessed how this reflection has instilled confidence to try working differently, while deepening interactions. We are seeing re-kindled joy in work in communities that have built safe cultures where physicians can share their practice experiences (or frustrations), look at their practice measures, and discuss as a group. Sometimes there's immediate action (individually or as a community). Sometimes it's the initial connection that will allow for future action. As reinforced by the RCCBC sponsored Compassionate Leadership Training led by Shawn and Heather Marie Atleo, it's especially important that we allow time for connection to develop relationships and trust, before diving into action. Emerging from a pandemic is a perfect opportunity for us to re-examine baselines and make conscious decisions of how we'd like to move forward.

My HDC team is here to support our physicians through the use of data, enabling insights through their practice and community aggregates, to ultimately support small acts of quality improvement across the province. This is inspired by the HDC Vice-Chair and Physician Quality improvement (PQI) Physician Advisor, Dr. Cole Stanley, when he encourages us to start small. Small changes or decisions can make big impacts over a period of time and the recent increase in engagement and positive feedback is what keeps us moving forward.

Do you have a story of how community EMR data has supported change in your region? Please let me know your experience. It is this level of community participation and transformation that fuels our organization!