Posted on May 6, 2026
Today, the Provincial Health Services Authority announced the Private Physician Network (PPN) will be decommissioned. Physicians in more than 850 clinics have relied on the PPN as a private, managed network that provides secure access to their electronic medical record (EMR) systems.
We are here to help you navigate this change.
The Family Practice Services Committee (FPSC) has committed $2 million in new one-time funding and directed the Doctors Technology Office (DTO) and Practice Support Program (PSP) to provide technical support and advice to family physicians and clinics during this transition. They have also offered to extend the same support to community-based specialists. The Specialist Services Committee (SSC) has committed $290,000 in one-time funding and is partnering with FPSC on our response.
What you need to know:
- By September 4, 2026, your clinic must find and transition to an alternate internet, security and managed network that is secure and reliable for accessing your electronic medical records.
- Transitioning from the PPN will take some time and we encourage you to begin this process right away to avoid risks to your clinic operations and patient care.
- After leaving the PPN, your clinic will be responsible for ongoing network management and internet costs.
- To help reduce the stress and expense of transitioning off the PPN, we are offering support at different levels, based on your clinic’s needs.
How the FPSC and SCC can help:
- If you have an IT support provider, point them to the Doctors Technology Office for practical advice, checklists, and tools to transition from the PPN and build a secure clinic foundation. Check out our Six Steps to Rebuild a Secure Clinic Foundation toolkit or register for a webinar
- Our PSP and DTO support teams are available to provide one-on-one guidance to clinics, including advice on finding the right IT support. Reach out to us at PSP@doctorsofbc.ca.
- If your clinic requires more tailored support, FPSC and SSC have contracted with a third-party IT resource who can provide virtual or in-person support to review your clinic-specific needs, support decision-making, and coordinate the transition. Reach out to us at PSP@doctorsofbc.ca to be connected.
FPSC and SSC are actively organizing staff and resources to help physicians respond to this change. We will continue to reassess our transition supports as we learn about clinic needs.
Sincerely,
Kelly McQuillen and Dr Sari Cooper, FPSC Co-Chairs
On behalf of the Family Practice Services Committee
Amanda Thompson and Dr Daisy Dulay, SSC Co-Chairs
On behalf of the Specialist Services Committee
