SOHC just received the following from the BC Health Coalition:

Case update:

The clinics brought an application to postpone the trial for six months in order to negotiate a resolution to the litigation and it was granted in court today.

The defendant BC government agreed to the postponement for the purposes of negotiating a resolution. The Judge granted a postponement to March 2nd so the parties can seek a resolution.

One of the interveners raised concern about Day’s comments in a Vancouver Sun article over the weekend where he said that the postponement was for the purposes of ironing out a few issues in order to have the trial go forward more efficiently. Continue reading →

As a member of the BC Health Coalition, SOHC has been asked to share the following job posting:

Organizer – Campaigns and Communications (part-time)

The BC Health Coalition is a provincial network of organizations and individuals that champion the universal public health care system. This year we are interveners in a high profile Supreme Court challenge to public health care.

We are seeking a motivated individual to join our team and coordinate media relations and campaign activities related to the case. If you are excited to work in a fast-paced campaign environment in collaboration with partners across B.C. and Canada, this may be a good fit for you.

For more information, click on “Read more”
Continue reading →

Merv La Brash and his wife Frances couldn’t be happier with Princeton’s health care services, especially with the increased specialist care that’s now available. For the past few years, Frances has been seeing a specialist that came to Princeton once or twice a year. Now, through a project designed to improve access to specialist care in Princeton, she can arrange to see her specialist more often without leaving Princeton.

In 1975, Merv and Frances made the decision to get away from their busy, crowded life in Langley and move to a small town. They chose Princeton area somewhat by chance. On their way to Penticton they stopped along the highway near the Sterling Creek Bridge to help a rancher put out a fire in his garage. After the fire was contained, the rancher told them about a piece of property that was for sale on Old Hedley Road which they ended up buying. Merv and Frances recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary and are now living in Vermilion Court.

Access to specialist care can be a concern for people like Merv and Frances who live in rural BC communities. Seniors who no longer drive are strongly affected because they often rely on family or friends for rides or spend a full day getting to and from Penticton on the HandiDart bus. Travel can be even more challenging if their appointment is in Kelowna.

The Princeton Health Care Steering Committee, which includes physicians, community and Interior Health representatives, was formed in September 2013 with the goal of supporting improved care in the region. The committee has been working with the South Okanagan Similkameen Division of Family Practice on a Princeton Access to Specialist Care project funded by the Shared Care Committee, a joint collaborative committee of the Doctors of BC and the Ministry of Health. Continue reading →

Dr. Brian Day is heading to the BC Supreme Court to argue that the Canadian Health Act violates the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. He says he’s advocating for patient rights. But here’s what he’s not telling you. In 2011, the BC government audited Day’s clinic and found that, in roughly a 30 day period, they overbilled patients to the tune of $491,654. How would you spend that amount?