My Statement

Dr. Caroline Y. Wang, MD, MPA
Candidate for DoBC President-elect

Dear Colleague,

This upcoming DoBC election will be most consequential, giving the membership a chance to decide the direction of our association that will impact the future of the medical profession and BC health care system for a generation. As a longtime BC physician advocate I am committed to contributing my lifetime of experience in organized medicine and public service of over 25 years to help the DoBC deliver on its mandate and promise – by working together we can build a strong united profession and achieve the vision of healthy physicians delivering best possible health care for the people in BC.

Physicians are grappling with burnout and the daunting challenges of a crumbling health care system worsened by a global pandemic, “running on the treadmill” to keep the system from total collapse. This is the end stage result after decades of system neglect and devaluation of physician services, which is not sustainable and unacceptable. As BC health care lurches towards a precipice, we have a choice for change – by electing trusted, courageous leaders as DoBC elected representatives who will take concrete actions to avert catastrophe and save countless lives. Two quotes by Albert Einstein inspire us as guideposts: “in the midst of crisis, lies great opportunity” and “we cannot solve our problems using the same thinking that created them.”

Change starts with credible, effective physician leadership standing for the rights and interests of its members, to support, empower and amplify the voices of all BC doctors. DoBC’s Strategy of supporting doctors as leaders in health care must be guided by meaningful engagement of all BC physicians to benefit every member, with clear goals, effective plans of action, and accountability for the results.

To Increase the influence of the physician voice

  • Empower all physicians by strengthening professional autonomy and independence as the true experts in health care decision-making to ensure safe patient care.
  • Physicians with the highest training in health care should be recognized as the strength and foundation of the Canadian health care system, supported as leaders of health care teams.
  • Physicians are not interchangeable and should not be replaced with NPs and alternate health care providers as physician substitutes, to ensure high quality care for patients. Team-based care must have clear roles and responsibilities, using evidence-based policies and practices to achieve a high performing, learning health system.

Promoting physician health and wellness

  • End physician burnout by addressing the root causes, lead with solutions that fix the underlying systemic problems with structural reforms to enable reasonable, flexible working conditions.
  • Remove systemic barriers and unnecessary administrative burdens to support doctors to practice good medicine.
  • Doctors should not be expected to subsidize the public system working unreasonable hours without adequate support that is unhealthy and unsafe for patients.
  • Advocate 24/7/365 coverage as a system responsibility, not forced on individual physicians without fair compensation or support that is a key cause of burnout. Urgent care centers and Emergency Depts should be adequately funded and staffed to provide 24/7 access for urgent medical problems, as well as funding for on call and locum coverage.

Ensuring fair resource allocation through compensation and business supports

  • Compensation across all payment models for specialists and family physicians including FFS, LFP, and alternate payment models should be fair and equitable to value time, complexity, and cover rising overhead expenses, inflation, and cost of living.
  • Doctors working in acute care and community care settings must be properly funded and supported to enable continuous, coordinated, efficient care by primary care physicians and specialists as consultants.
  • Independent small private practices must receive fair compensation and support that ensure their viability and sustainability as a vital part of the health care system.
  • DoBC Negotiations, Governance bodies and Collaborative structures should undergo regular review for effectiveness and results.

Re-envisioning the future of the profession and culture of medicine

  • DoBC must lead by connecting with all physicians and members to understand the unique challenges, and support bottom-up solutions that address complex problems and the local context to serve the needs of diverse and vulnerable communities.
  • Leadership through true collaboration enables innovative solutions with specialists and family physicians in the communities, not from top-down one-size-fits-all policies forced on physicians by government and HAs.
  • Health care reform and public resources should support front-line doctors, not expanding bureaucracy to control health care professionals.
  • DoBC must build trust with transparency in decision-making and accountability to the members, from the board, RA, across its governance structures and processes.

CV Brief Summary

  • Family Physician in Vancouver, Richmond, B.C. full service and locum 1985-present
  • Active Staff, Dept. of Family Practice, Richmond Health Services 1986-2006
  • Education: B.Sc. (1980), MD (1984) UBC
  • M.P.A. Master of Public Administration (2014) NYU Wagner, New York University

Selected Leadership experience:

  • British Columbia Medical Association (BCMA/DoBC) Board delegate district 8 1998-2007
  • BCMA Executive Committee, Honorary Secretary Treasurer (elected) 2007-08
  • CMA General Council, BC Caucus 2002-07
  • Chair, Area Medical Advisory Committee, Richmond Health Services 2002-05
  • Member, Vancouver Coastal Health Authority Medical Advisory Committee 2002-05
  • Member, Primary Health Care Coordinating Committee, VCH 2003-05
  • President, Vancouver Medical Association 2000-02
  • President, Chinese Canadian Medical Society (BC) 1996-97
  • President and Founder, Association of Chinese Canadian Professionals (BC) 1999-2003
  • President, Federation of Chinese American and Chinese Canadian Medical Societies 2002-03
  • President, Coalition for Better Health Care Society 2017-present

If you support my vision for change to empower physicians, revitalize medicine as an honorable profession, and lead health care reform, I ask for your vote to build a proud legacy for our future.