Economic evaluation of the administrative burden of family physicians in British Columbia

Family physicians (FPs) are the first point of contact in the community, providing comprehensive care as an integral part of the healthcare system. However, twenty percent of Canadians cannot access a regular FP, which does not meet the population’s needs and is an unfair service distribution. FPs are being challenged by the growing demand on their time for administrative tasks, which impacts their well-being. Third-party forms such as sick notes and disability forms place an unnecessary burden on the health care system, particularly with staff shortages, and they take away from the time FPs spend with patients. This research project will evaluate strategies to reduce FPs’ administrative burden, potentially increasing patient appointments and improving FPs’ workflow and work-life balance. The economic evidence generated from this research will strengthen policy arguments and guide decisions on reducing administrative burden. 

This project was funded by the Health System Impact Fellowship from CIHR and is being conducted in partnership with Health Research BC. The doctoral student leading this project is Hayley Lawrence from the School of Population and Public Health at UBC. She will work with Dr. Craig Mitton, whose research focuses on applying health economics to impact health policy, and Christina Krause from Health Quality BC.