Victoria patient dumped by doctor seeks answers
VICTORIA Rachel Wilson has been left without a doctor or a clue after she was dropped by her family doctor after visiting walk-in clinics.
The 29-year-old James Bay resident called the office of her family physician, Dr. Kevin Wylie, on April 11 to book an appointment and was told by the doctor’s assistant that her file had been “deactivated.”
According to Wilson, who has been a patient at the practice for more than four years, the assistant said: “It says here you’ve been going to walk-in clinics … that must be the reason.”
Wilson asked that her doctor be questioned in person in case there was a mistake.
About two hours later, she said, she was told: “Dr. Wylie doesn’t want to take you back on as a patient.”
Wylie was not taking calls from the media.
“It’s disappointing and frustrating,” Wilson said. “I just wanted a family doctor I could depend on for my health.
“When I have needed to see a doctor, Dr. Wylie hasn’t been able to see me short-term,” she said.
“And maybe it has nothing to do with the walk-in clinic, but unfortunately that’s the only explanation they gave when I phoned.”
Doctors of B.C., which represents about 14,000 physicians, residents and medical students, says it does not dissuade patients from visiting walk-in clinics.
“We have said that walk-in clinics fill a gap, and without them, patient health could suffer,” said spokeswoman Sharon Shore.
“Granted, we have also said that patients receive the best overall health care when they have a longterm relationship with their own family physician.”
The organization acknowledges that there is a physician shortage and it’s not always possible to schedule a timely appointment with a family doctor. Walk-in clinics make it possible for patients needing medical attention to get it — without visiting the emergency department in non-critical situations.
Wilson said she had a good relationship and rapport with Wylie and that because she is young and fit, is not a burden on his services.
Conversely, while she travels a lot and doesn’t need to see him regularly — she hasn’t visited the doctor in more than a year — that shouldn’t be a reason to be dumped, either, she said.
Shore said there’s no maximum or minimum or ideal number of patients a family doctor is to have on their roster.
The College of Physicians and Surgeons, which ensures physicians meet expected standards of practice and conduct, confirmed there are no restrictions related to how many visits a doctor can bill for services in a day.
Wilson said she hasn’t received correspondence informing her that the doctor-patient relationship has been severed, and is stunned to have found out this way.
“If he would have just said my workload is too much … if he would have given me any explanation … it’s just disappointing,” she said.
Spokeswoman Susan Prins said any decision to stop treating a person should be documented by the physician in the patient’s medical record.
“The college would expect a physician to communicate the decision to end a therapeutic relationship directly with the patient, ideally in person, but also in writing,” Prins said in an email.
Health Minister Adrian Dix has said the matter needs to be handled by the college. Wilson said she was filing a complaint.
“Any complaint alleging inappropriate termination of the patient-physician relationship would be thoroughly investigated,” Prins said.
The college won’t comment on specific alleged incidents but says, generally, a physician can stop treating a patient as long as it’s not based on reasons considered discriminatory under the B.C. Human Rights Code.
“Similarly, physicians must not end a patient-physician relationship based on the complexity of a patient’s care needs, such as chronic pain, addiction or mental illness,” the college said.
Ending the patient-physician relationship might be appropriate if a patient exhibits threatening or abusive behaviour toward the physician or medical office assistants, or makes an unambiguous declaration of no confidence in the physician.
A physician can also choose to reduce the number of patients due to personal health or similar reasons, as long as patients are not selectively discharged for discriminatory reasons or because they are difficult or complex patients.
The process of patient selection must be well-documented.