Connect Every Visit
Are you a patient in BC and wondered why your doctor is still using a fax machine? It’s because BC has over 40 different digital health systems that don’t talk to each other.
That means your health information doesn’t always follow you, costing time, safety, and continuity of care.
The system isn’t working for British Columbians
Systems that don’t speak to each other are undermining the care British Columbians depend on.
Family physicians want to spend their time with patients, not fighting the systems meant to support them. But across BC, outdated and disconnected digital infrastructure systems are getting in the way.
In February 2026, BCCFP asked family physicians across the province how fragmented digital systems are affecting their practice:
of physicians routinely navigate between 2 to 5 different digital systems, just to manage a single patient’s care.
are duplicating patient information across multiple systems on a weekly basis.
minutes are lost every day to navigating clunky, disconnected systems, longer than the average patient visit.
It's time to connect health care in BC.
BCCFP - Connect Every Visit Campaign
Ever had test results your family doctor couldn't access because they were done elsewhere?
Ever wonder why you have to repeat your medical history at every appointment?
Ever wonder why clinics still use faxes and phones for referrals?
Case Study: A Broken Bone Away from Home
Picture this. You are visiting Kelowna from Victoria on a family vacation when you get into an accident and break your arm:
Under the Current Disconnected System
At the point of injury
I go to the ER in Kelowna, get x-rays, and the fracture is set and casted. I try to relay my medical information (allergies, medications, medical history) because they cannot access my record, but I cannot remember all of the medications I am taking. They discharge me and tell me to follow up with my family physician to get a referral for an orthopedic surgeon when I get home.
First appointment with my family physician
My family physician fits me in for an urgent appointment when I get home. They have no access to the images that were done at the hospital in Kelowna.
Addressing the gap in information
My family physician contacts the hospital to fax the report over. They are still unable to see the original x-ray. They refer me for another x-ray which must be done before they can make a referral.
Second appointment with my family physician
I receive a new x-ray and now have to wait for the results of this x-ray and for a second appointment with my family doctor. Once I am able to see my family physician, they then can make a referral to an orthopedic surgeon by fax.
Waiting for a Referral
2-3 weeks go by. The specialist responds to the fax and states that they are not currently accepting referrals. My family physician makes several phone calls to specialists’ offices to ensure they are taking referrals. Several weeks after the initial hospital visit, I finally get to see a specialist.
Under a Connected System
At the point of injury
I go to the ER in Kelowna; they have access to my complete medical history already. I get an x-ray and the fracture is set and casted. They send a full summary and images to my family doctor.
Appointment with family physician
I arrive at my appointment in Victoria for a follow-up. My family physician has all the information from the point of injury and can make an efficient, effective, and accurate decision about the progression of my treatment. They are then able to send a referral with ease through a connected system to a specialist.
We need to connect care in British Columbia
The provincial government must commit to a plan that reduces BC’s 40+ fragmented systems to a small number of systems that actually work together.
Connecting every visit would have direct, measurable impact on:
- Quality of care
- Patient safety
- Access to care
- Physician retention
This builds on progress already underway to stop wasting money on fragmented digital health systems and lays out a clear plan for a health system where every visit is connected.
Share Your Story
Your voice matters. Whether you’re a family physician or a patient in BC, tell us what it’s been like navigating a health system where the pieces don’t connect.
Write to your MLA
Help us make the case for change. Add your voice and tell your MLA that connected care matters.
For more information, check out: www.bccfp.bc.ca