Spearheaded by Medical Lead Dr. Saul Isserow, SportsCardiologyBC built a successful proposal to undertake a physician engagement initiative at UBC Hospital aimed at improving collaboration between physicians from the spread out Vancouver sites of UBC, St. Paul’s, Women and Children’s, VGH and GF Strong. The program will include ‘spin’ cycling classes twice/week within the SCBC’s home at the UBC Hospital Centre for Cardiovascular Excellence. Morning classes will be followed by healthy breakfast, providing an opportunity for inter-site physicians to interact and enhance their sense of community and opportunities to collaborate on projects.
Another strong focus of the program is physician wellness and aiming to reduce the effects of burnout. A study conducted by the Canadian Medical Association found 45.7% of physicians to be experiencing advanced stages of burnout (1). With Fortune 500 companies and start-up tech firms putting such a focus on employee wellness, it may be time to further pursue these initiatives for our health professionals so they can provide optimal care for others. To track the success of the program, the SCBC Research team is developing a protocol to determine physician outcomes regarding changes in physical and mental well-being.
Funding will be provided starting July 1st, by the Doctors of BC Physician Engagement Initiative. Stay tuned for updates!