British Columbia’s family doctors are renewing their plea for the provincial government to ban employer-mandated sick notes, saying the practice is bogging physicians down in red tape.
The BC College of Family Physicians says writing sick notes is “not a medically necessary service,” and leaves physicians with a heavy administrative burden that eats away at time better spent treating patients.
“It only takes a moment, it’s true but it does take an appointment spot,” Dr. Charlene Lui, president of Doctors of B.C.
“It’s really inefficient use of our health care dollars and the resources that we need.”
The Canadian Medical Association estimates doctors spend the equivalent of six million patient visits a year just writing notes for employers.
Doctors say the BC NDP government pledged to eliminate sick notes, but have yet to follow through on the promise.
“We have to look at the options that are available to us and determine whether that’s a legislative change or a regulatory change,” B.C. Health Minister Josie Osborne said.
“That work is underway right now and I hope we’ll have more to say on that soon.”
Family doctors are also calling on the province to implement a more efficient electronic medical record system, meaning doctors are forced to spend time better used to treat patients on navigating complex bureaucratic systems.