Jump to Navigation

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

Close
  • About Us
    • Committee Members
    • Reports
      • Evaluations
      • Years in Review and Annual Reports
      • Archived SSC Co-Chair Report
      • Meeting Summaries (The Wrap)
  • Programs and Initiatives
    • Develop Physician Capability
      • Physician Quality Improvement Initiative
      • Provincial Physician QI Coaching Program
      • Physician Leadership Development
      • UBC Sauder Physician Leadership Program
      • Alum Hub
    • Engage Physicians & Health Partners
      • Facility Engagement
      • Specialists Well-Being Pilot (SWELL)
      • Supporting Community Based Specialists
    • Transform Care Delivery
      • Enhancing Access Initiative
      • Spreading Quality Improvement
      • Perioperative Clinical Action Network (PCAN)
      • SSC Fees
      • Health System Redesign
      • Consultant Specialist Team Care
  • News
    • Upcoming Events
    • SSC Focus newsletters
    • Videos
  • Contact
  • The Exchange
  • Main Menu
  • search

Spotlight on a Specialty: Rheumatolgy

Posted on Oct 17, 2013

With more than 150 disease conditions that they diagnose and treat — including arthritis, lupus, gout, vasculitis, scleroderma and other systemic autoimmune conditions — BC's rheumatologists have "fascinating patients with complex problems that often require digging to solve a mystery," says Dr. Jason Kur, president of the BC Society of Rheumatologists. Currently more than 60 rheumatologists are licensed with the BC College of Physicians and Surgeons, but a survey in 2011 found that because of part time work, academic posts and other issues, only 32 fulltime equivalents were practicing in the province, leading to a critical shortage of specialists.  BC has two to three adult residency positions each year but between 2007 and 2012 no UBC trained graduates commenced practice in BC. With an intensive focus on recruitment and training "we are starting to see an improvement," says Kur. 

And, with the creation by the Specialist Services Committee 2011 multidisciplinary fee code, rheumatology nurses are now in 50 percent of BC practices. The nurses teach self care, provide vaccinations and medication injections, and counsel for pain support and lifestyle management, creating office efficiencies and the ability to treat more BC patients. The BC society is supporting more of its members to incorporate nurses into their practices. Read more SSC Focus News stories.

Learn more at www.bcrheumatology.ca.

  • Upcoming Events
  • SSC Focus newsletters
  • Videos

What’s New

May 5, 2025

Burnaby Hospital tackles surgical delays with innovative prehabilitation program

Apr 22, 2025

Transforming care with hospital at home in British Columbia

Apr 14, 2025

Chilliwack leads the way with groundbreaking housing initiative to attract physicians

Mar 24, 2025

Dr Sabrina Nurmohamed's innovative approach to expanding dermatology access

View all News

About Us

  • Committee Members
  • Reports

SSC Fees

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

News

  • Upcoming Events
  • SSC Focus newsletters
  • Videos

General Contact

Specialist Services Committee
sscbc@doctorsofbc.ca
604-638-4853  

The Specialist Services Committee acknowledges that we work on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of many different Indigenous Nations throughout British Columbia.

Acknowledging that we are on the traditional territories of First Nations communities is an expression of cultural humility and involves recognizing our duty and desire to support the provision of culturally safe care to First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people in BC. 

Government of BC   Doctors of BC

Specialist Services Committee © Doctors of BC

  • About Us
    • Committee Members
    • Reports
  • Programs and Initiatives
    • Develop Physician Capability
    • Engage Physicians & Health Partners
    • Transform Care Delivery
  • News
    • Upcoming Events
    • SSC Focus newsletters
    • Videos
  • Contact
  • The Exchange
  • Main Menu
  • search

Back to top