What do you think about Burnaby’s health-care system?
That’s what the Burnaby Division of Family Practice wants to know and intends to find out through its recently launched online survey, part of the A GP for Me initiative.
“We are trying to get a good idea of what’s happening in our community, in terms of our patients and what their expectations are of health care in the community, and what they are receiving,” Dr. Charlene Lui, the division’s chairperson, told the Burnaby NOW. “We want to try and fill in the gaps in services, if there is one.”
Lui is a Burnaby-based doctor, and has lived in the city almost her whole life. She’s practiced medicine for the last 18 years, and is encouraged by the idea of the public being given the opportunity to shape local health care.
“It’s a great community, and I think everything we can to do to keep the community healthy is super important,” she added.
The survey is open to anyone living, working or studying in Burnaby. Lui says health-care providers will also be filling out the survey.
“As family doctors we help what we believe is the need, the health needs of our patients,” she said. “We feel it’s important to know what their health needs are from their point of view. So we want to make sure we are fully informed and making the best decisions with our time and health-care dollars.”
Lui says Burnaby has an adequate number of family physicians. The Burnaby division is comprised of 150 local doctors, which includes doctors at Burnaby Hospital, walk-in clinics, as well as family physicians.
“We have many family doctors, but some have retired in recent years,” she said. “I believe that there are many people who would like to have a family doctor, but find it difficult to become regular patients with them. We see them in the emergency room and walk-in clinics more than they like.”
When the survey is complete and all the answers are tallied and categorized, Lui said suggestions from the public could start being implemented by March 2014.
“The initiative has been on the provincial mind for a couple of years, but it’s really been moving within the last year and now it’s very active with the community in a survey state,” she noted.
As for what she expects to see in the results, Lui says the aspect of people needing a permanent family physician will most likely top the list.
“We’re believing that we’ll find that there are people who would like to have a family physician, but have been unable to get one,” she said.
Lui said she wasn’t sure how many family physicians there are in Burnaby specifically, but hopes the survey will help identify the exact number.
“People’s practices and focuses change,” she noted.
A GP for ME is a provincial initiative that aims to support the needs of vulnerable patients, strengthen the family physician to patient relationship and improve primary care in the community, according to the Burnaby division.
Residents who complete the survey will be entered into a draw for a chance to win one of 20 $100 gift certificates to various local businesses.
The deadline to fill out the survey is Dec. 20. To fill it out, visit fluidsurveys.com/s/Burnaby.
