Chronic Disease Management
Through our partnership with the Shared Care Committee and Vancouver Coastal Health, we are working towards better care access for patients with chronic conditions.
Overview
The number of patients with complex chronic conditions is increasing in BC. These patients have typically had to visit multiple care points, which can lead to fragmented care and poor outcomes. Patients can often wait months to see a specialist; however minor advice may be all that is needed.
Specialists and family practitioners at Providence Health Care saw the increasing challenge of chronic disease management as an opportunity for creative, collaborative and innovative solutions. A partnership was formed between Providence Health Care and the Shared Care Committee, a joint committee of the BC Ministry of Health and the BC Medical Association, in collaboration with Vancouver Coastal Health to identify gaps in the care process for patients with chronic diseases and to develop and test prototypes for improvement which are transferable and scalable.
Services
Rapid Access to Consultative Expertise (RACE)
Out of this work came an innovative model of shared care to enhance patient care. The Rapid Access to Consultative Expertise, or RACE model, is a telephone advice line where family physicians can call one phone number and choose from a selection of specialty services and be routed directly to the specialist’s cell phone or pager for real-time advice.
User satisfaction has been unanimous –family physicians who have used the service said they would use RACE again and viewed it as an excellent resource, allowing for practical and specific advice in real time. Ninety per cent of calls were returned within one hour and 75 per cent of the calls were returned within 10 minutes. RACE is also having a financial impact. Family physicians using the service say RACE reduces the number of unnecessary referrals to specialists, prevents emergency department visits, reduces costs and utilizes specialists’ time more efficiently.
RACE has received two awards since it was launched, including the IPAC/Deloitte Public Sector Leadership Award, the Health Employers Association of British Columbia (HEABC) Top Innovation Gold Apple Award and the BC Excellence in Quality award. For more information on RACE, watch the RACE videos or visit the RACE website here.
Calling RACE just got easier with the new app. Visit RACE for more information.
Outpatient Programs + Clinics
For a list of our outpatient programs and clinics click here.
Resources
If you are a physician or specialist looking for more information on RACE, please visit the RACE website.
Careers
For more information about working at Providence Health Care and for current employment opportunities, please visit our Careers site.
Contact
Margot Wilson, director, Chronic Disease Management Strategy
Providence Health Care
Phone: 604-682-2344, ext 66522
email: mwilson@providencehealth.bc.ca
