Jump to Navigation
Close

What can we help you find today? Type what you’re looking for in the space below.

  • About Us
    • Committee Members
    • Annual Report
    • Evaluations
    • Meeting Summaries (The Wrap)
    • SSC Co-Chair Report
  • PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES
    • Engage
      • Facility Engagement
      • Physician Quality Improvement Initiative
    • Improve
      • Enhancing Access Initiative (Pooled Referrals)
      • Enhanced Recovery After Surgery
      • Health System Redesign
      • Quality and Innovation Projects
      • Surgical Patient Optimization Collaborative
    • Support
      • Physician Leadership and Quality Improvement Training
      • SSC Fees
      • Labour Market Adjustment Fees
  • News
    • Archived SSC Focus E-news and Special Bulletins
    • BC Summit brings experts together for surgical improvements
    • Sometimes violence hinders help
    • Spotlight on a Specialist: Dr. Samuel Kohen
  • Contact
  • Resources
    • Useful Links
    • Videos
  • The Exchange
  • Main Menu
  • search

Spotlight on a Specialty – Geriatric Medicine

Posted on Sep 21, 2016

In the words of Sophocles, “no one longs to live more than someone growing old.” Thanks to medical advances over the last decade, nowadays it seems living longer is inevitable. But with longevity comes an aging population – one that encounters health problems typically specific to older adults. That’s where Geriatricians come in.

Geriatricians specialize in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disease and disability in older adults, providing comprehensive – and often challenging – medical care for people later in life. “It is a holistic specialty in which anything can happen, and therefore, is interesting, challenging and fulfilling,” says Dr Scott Comeau, President of the BC Society of Geriatric Medicine Specialists. Practicing what Dr Comeau refers to as “a varied blend of General Internal Medicine, Neurology and Psychiatry for the older individual,” Geriatricians treat conditions such as Dementia, Osteoporosis, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and heart disease among others.

While still challenged with manpower issues, the specialty is starting to finally train a larger number of fellows – something Dr Comeau credits to recognition among new physicians about the opportunities Geriatric Medicine provides. “Geriatrics is one of the first specialties to show how important team work is in dealing with frail, sick patients. We rely on multidisciplinary teams and ‘one is none’ in our work.” He says, “it is this multidisciplinary team work, along with opportunities in research, teaching and clinical work that attracts most new fellows.”

Dr Comeau says he’s happy to see the increase in fellows, but emphasizes more bodies are still needed to provide necessary services to outlying communities around BC. The Specialist Services Committee (SSC) has helped by collaborating with the Section of Geriatrics to develop conferencing fees allowing outreach services to be provided to individuals in these communities.

  • Archived SSC Focus E-news and Special Bulletins
  • BC Summit brings experts together for surgical improvements
  • Sometimes violence hinders help
  • Spotlight on a Specialist: Dr. Samuel Kohen

What’s New

Feb 20, 2019

The Beat Goes on for Cardiac Services BC Pacemaker Project

Feb 15, 2019

Spotlight on a Specialist: Dr Marius Pienaar

Feb 15, 2019

Enhancing Psychogeriatric Specialist Services in Residential Care

Jan 11, 2019

New SSC FEE Guide

View all News

About Us

  • Committee Members
  • Annual Report
  • Evaluations
  • Meeting Summaries (The Wrap)
  • SSC Co-Chair Report

SSC Fees

  • Advance Care Planning
  • Discharge Care Planning
  • Group Medical Visits (GMV)
  • Multidisciplinary Conferencing
  • Patient Follow-up Fees
  • Specialist Advice Fees
  • FAQs

News

  • Archived SSC Focus E-news and Special Bulletins
  • BC Summit brings experts together for surgical improvements
  • Sometimes violence hinders help
  • Spotlight on a Specialist: Dr. Samuel Kohen

General Contact

Andrea McMaster
Administrative Assistant,
Specialist Services Committee
sscbc@doctorsofbc.ca
604 638 5777

   

 

Specialist Services Committee © Doctors of BC

  • About Us
    • Committee Members
    • Annual Report
    • Evaluations
    • Meeting Summaries (The Wrap)
    • SSC Co-Chair Report
  • PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES
    • Engage
    • Improve
    • Support
  • News
    • Archived SSC Focus E-news and Special Bulletins
    • BC Summit brings experts together for surgical improvements
    • Sometimes violence hinders help
    • Spotlight on a Specialist: Dr. Samuel Kohen
  • Contact
  • Resources
    • Useful Links
    • Videos
  • The Exchange
  • Main Menu
  • search