A two day symposium at UNBC headed by Dr. Dan Horvat with the Northern Medical Program has focused on exploring how to improve ongoing care in the North for patients who have been successfully treated for cancer. 

The research team, led by Dr. Horvat, a local family physician and assistant professor with the NMP, is considering ways to ensure that family physicians are better supported by specialty health services to provide ongoing care for cancer survivors safely and effectively.  This will make it easier for patients to have the care that they need in their own community. 

“Having the diagnosis of cancer and going through treatment is often a life altering experience,” said Dr. Horvat. “Ensuring effective, ongoing care is critical, and access to cancer specialists can be particularly challenging in rural and remote communities.”

The symposium’s research team included participants from across British Columbia and Alberta. In addition, Dr. Dee Mangin, a New Zealand family physician, provided international perspective with an overview of her innovative clinical practices and research on the area of shared care. Dr. Mangin is also an Associate Professor and Director of the Primary Care Research Group at the Christchurch School of Medicine, University of Otago in New Zealand .

The symposium is funded largely through a $21,000 award that Dr. Horvat and his research team received from the Canadian Institute for Health Research. UNBC, the Northern Cancer Control Strategy and the provincial Shared Care Committee are also sponsors. 

This work links closely with the Shared Care Committee sponsored Northern Partners in Care initiative, led by Dr. Dan Horvat and Dr. Paul Winwood, which aims to improve accessibility to and the effectiveness of family physician and specialist services across Northern BC.
 

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Dr. Dan Horvat (left) and Dr. Dee Mangin