About Us
Our Mission
To create a community led and governed network of primary care clinics in the Cowichan region that will deliver patient-focused, longitudinal, team-based care that reflects and responds to the unique needs, priorities, and culture of its community, and fosters safe, positive and enriching work environments.
Our Vision
The Cowichan Region is a place where health is valued and patients can easily access a strong, connected network of primary healthcare providers who collaborate to prevent illness and promote wellbeing.
Our Values
Community-owned and operated
Team based care
Improved access to quality care for patients
Provider wellness and joy in work
Cultural safety, equity, and inclusivity
The Cowichan Valley Primary Care Society (CVPCS or the Society) is a non-profit group that was formed in March 2023 by a group of local Family Physicians concerned about the future of Primary Care services in the Cowichan Valley and passionate about creating positive change in primary care delivery in our region.
Like so many other communities in British Columbia, our community is facing enormous challenges recruiting and retaining family doctors to take over large practices of retiring family doctors who have worked in the traditional private practice model of primary care that, for many reasons, is not attractive to many current family doctors or to new graduates of family medicine.
As of 2022, there are estimated to be about 20,000 residents of the Cowichan Valley who are not “attached” to a primary care provider. This number could double in the next three to five years as our aging workforce of family doctors retires unable to find replacements. The CVPCS is working hard to try to avert this impending crisis of detachment.
Timeline
Spring 2022 – Spring 2023
A group of family doctors came together with an idea to create a new model of primary care in the region. A working group was created, supported by the Cowichan Valley Division of Family Practice, to gather background data, complete an environmental scan, and develop a framework for this model.
Spring 2023 – Spring 2024
The Cowichan Valley Primary Care Society was registered as a Non-Profit Society in March 2023. With the framework in place, we then began engaging with community organizations to ensure our model was in line with other initiatives in the Cowichan Valley and to determine the best way to move forward and fulfill our vision.
Spring 2024 – Winter 2024 (Phase 1)
A financial feasibility study is currently under way, which will determine the economic viability of combining two or more “Start-Up Clinics” under the umbrella of our Non-Profit Society. Phase 1 would unroll over about 6 months as an evolving process of implementing lease-holding and operational supports for interested clinics or clinics in need, with the goal of supporting existing family physicians who are near retirement, as well as attracting new physicians to take over patient panels without being obliged to sign a lease or manage a practice.
Winter 2024 to 2026 (Phase 2)
If Phase 1 proves successful, Phase 2 would see an expansion of the Society assuming operations of other interested clinics.
2026 to 2031 (Phase 3)
The ultimate goal in Phase 3 is to build a new multi-disciplinary Community Led Primary Care Center or “Hub Clinic” in central Cowichan, supported by community partners and local government.