Strengthening Family Medicine Through Budget 2026

In June 2025, BCCFP Board Member Dr. Serena Verma appeared before the Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services to present member-informed, evidence-based recommendations for Budget 2026. Our message was clear: strengthening family medicine strengthens patient access and improves system sustainability.

The Committee included each of our key asks in their official recommendations:

1. Investment in Family Physician-Led Team-Based Care
   The report acknowledged that "family physician-led models reduce unnecessary referrals and diagnostic testing and reduce hospital visits, which leads to lower overall health costs."
   
2. Administrative Burden Reduction
   The Committee stated they would “continue to identify and implement innovative ways to reduce administrative burdens for family physicians, including team-based care, through consultation with the BC College of Family Physicians.”
   
3. Enhanced Rural Family Physician Support
   The Committee also called for "expanded initiatives and funding to address the shortage of rural family physicians," recognizing that rural family physicians "deliver primary care, emergency services, anesthesiology, surgical, and maternity services."

This alignment was significant. It reflected the strength of member-driven advocacy and demonstrated shared recognition that investment in family medicine is essential to the health and wellbeing of British Columbians.

With Budget 2026, the focus now turns to implementation.

Budget 2026 maintains core health care funding and signals continued commitment to primary care. However, maintaining funding alone will not resolve the structural inefficiencies that continue to limit physician capacity and patient access.

Family physicians spend significant time navigating disconnected electronic medical record (EMR) platforms, re-entering patient information, and searching across multiple systems for test results and referrals - time that could otherwise be spent seeing patients.

“While we are grateful that the government continues to prioritize and preserve healthcare funding, we cannot overemphasize the importance of addressing systemic inefficiencies that have meaningful consequences for patients,” said Dr. Jennifer Lush, BCCFP President. “Improving how our digital systems work together is one of the fastest, most practical ways government can protect patient access to care. Every hour saved on administration is an hour that can be better spent with patients.”

Reliable, interoperable digital infrastructure is essential health care infrastructure. Without it, fragmented systems delay referrals and diagnoses, create duplication across the system, increase costs, and reduce access for patients.

Alignment on priorities is an important first step. Now, meaningful progress requires action.

BCCFP remains committed to working collaboratively with government to move from recognition to results - ensuring that family physicians are supported with the tools, infrastructure, and policy environment needed to deliver timely, patient-centred, culturally safe care across British Columbia.

We thank our members for continuing to share your experiences and expertise.