First and foremost, we would like to express our gratitude to you and all members of the BC Emergency Medicine Network (EMN) for your exceptional contributions in ensuring that emergency patients across B.C. receive the highest quality of care. Whether directly providing care or supporting the provision of care, your dedication and expertise are invaluable.

We know that this past year has not been easy. With the pandemic still having real impact on the health care system coupled with disrupted supply chains and an unprecedented respiratory season – this has led to reduced system capacity, increased health care demand and most notably some colleagues walking away from emergency care or health care altogether. Your courage, resilience and unwavering commitment to upholding patient-centered emergency care are truly inspiring.

Building upon our successes

EMN was originally created as a grassroots initiative to bridge gaps and establish connections with emergency practitioners throughout British Columbia. Initially funded as a BC SUPPORT Unit demonstration project and then within the BC Academic Health Science Network, the EMN has grown into a well-respected organization that practitioners rely on for clinical resources and information.

The success of EMN has led to the integration of its key functions into the newly formed Emergency Care BC (ECBC), a Health Improvement Network (HIN) operating within the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA). This transition ensures the long-term sustainability of the network and further reaffirms its value in improving emergency care across B.C. While continuing to provide resources to individual practitioners, moving within the health care delivery system will provide a stronger voice for emergency care and additional capacity to influence the system of emergency care.

The work ahead for Emergency Care BC

Emergency Care BC (ECBC) is dedicated to optimizing health outcomes, improving the quality and coordination of services, and enhancing the experience for patients, families and providers requiring emergency care services within B.C.

Over the next year ECBC will focus on the following areas of work.

Create a strategic action plan and start improvement projects:

• Establish a collaborative network and collect relevant data to inform a strategic action plan that prioritizes a patient-centered approach to clinical care improvement for emergency care in B.C.
• Initiate improvement projects and establish performance metrics to track and understand the effects of clinical care improvements on patient and system outcomes.

Develop a data and analytics strategy:

• Collaborate with PHSA’s Data Analytics Reporting and Evaluation (DARE), clinical informatics, associated health improvement networks, and provincial clinical programs to develop a comprehensive data and analytics strategy that uses existing data platforms, identifies areas for improvement, and informs decision-making for health system improvements and interventions.
• Use data to inform evidence-based decision-making, identify areas for improvement within the health system, and monitor the effectiveness of changes and interventions.

Grow the emergency network and clinical resources:

• Build on EMN’s library of clinical resources and collaborations with health authority leaders to increase adoption and usage of these resources in emergency departments.
• Explore opportunities for optimization and standardization of resources across the province to enhance and streamline emergency care delivery.
• Maintain ongoing engagement with existing EMN membership, inclusive of emergency care providers, provincial and local leaders, researchers, quality care experts, educators, and patient partners, to support the continuous improvement of emergency care services in B.C.

Thank you

Your incredible dedication and hard work have been the driving force behind the success of EMN and we are confident that your ongoing commitment will be vital in ensuring the continued success of Emergency Care BC.

As we transition to ECBC our web presence may change over time, in the interim, please continue to visit www.bcemergencynetwork.ca for all clinical resources and membership access. If you have any questions or concerns, please email us at ecbc@phsa.ca.

Sincerely,

Lori Korchinski
Executive Director
Emergency Care BC
Provincial Health Services Authority

Jim Christenson
Senior Medical Advisor, Knowledge Translation
Emergency Care BC
Provincial Health Services Authority