Demonstrators took to the steps of the Ministry of Health building in downtown Victoria on Wednesday afternoon (Aug. 10) with a crystal clear message: everyone deserves a family doctor.

Camille Currie, founder of the organization BC Health Care Matters, said the provincial government can no longer afford to ignore the shortage of family doctors.

害羞草研究所淲e can害羞草研究所檛 continue to wait, we need action on this crisis now,害羞草研究所� she told Black Press Media. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 affecting our primary care system. It害羞草研究所檚 affecting our hospitals. It害羞草研究所檚 affecting ambulances. It害羞草研究所檚 affecting everything in the health system, so for them to sit idle is no longer acceptable.害羞草研究所�

According to the BC College of Family Practice, nearly one million British Columbians are without a family doctor. An additional 40 per cent worry about losing the doctor they currently have.

But the problem isn害羞草研究所檛 a lack of qualified medical professionals. There are plenty, in fact. B.C. has about 6,800 physicians trained in family medicine, yet only about half of them work as family doctors providing the cradle-to-grave care that害羞草研究所檚 becoming increasingly difficult to access.

Those who don害羞草研究所檛 practice family medicine often elect to specialize, work in a hospital or simply leave the province all together. That害羞草研究所檚 because they can害羞草研究所檛 make a fair wage that reflects their value to patients, according to Dr. Bridget Reidy.

Reidy, a practising family doctor and member of Family Doctors for Patient Care, was among the group of protesters calling on the province to take immediate action. If it doesn害羞草研究所檛, she said, she害羞草研究所檚 unsure how much longer the healthcare system can remain afloat.

害羞草研究所淭hose of use who have family practice credentials can make two to three times more doing anything but primary continuing care. And that害羞草研究所檚 why 40 per cent of British Columbians are afraid that their doctors will quit,害羞草研究所� she said.

害羞草研究所淐ontinuing primary care saves more lives than specialty medicine 害羞草研究所� if you want to get a diagnosis of cancer, it requires more than one visit usually, it requires follow-up care. So even the healthy sometimes need continuing care.害羞草研究所�

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