President’s Message
DR. KATEY ARMSTRONG
Over the last few months, this has been an exciting time to lead the MSA. We’ve completed our strategic planning session and are excited to put some of these initiatives into play over the coming years.
On April 14th, we hosted a celebration for Dr. Jana Davidson, who kindly shared her insights and what she had learnt as the first female CMO on our campus (scroll down to see pictures and a recap of the event in this edition).
We continue to have great engagement from our members, and our latest round of projects has been submitted. We will be in touch shortly with the next steps for those who’ve applied for funding.
At the MSA lounge, where people are able to stop by for food and connection, we hosted a successful coffee cart morning that drew many of you for coffee first thing in the day.
Our monthly MSA lunches continue to be well supported by our members, and we encourage you to come with enough time to be able to linger for some chat and connection with other MSA members.
We continue to look into ways to encourage our MSA members to be active on campus and are trying to support strength training and exercise classes on site; we hope to have more information in the coming months.
PHSA Medical staff Wellbeing and Work Experience Survey
The PHSA Medical Staff Wellbeing and Work Experience Survey offers a chance for you all to share your thoughts. The more we understand about your wellness needs, the more we can support this across the campus. Let’s try to boost our C&W numbers.
Our next MSA meeting will be on June 23rd. We will update you on what we’ve been doing through our MSA work and solicit feedback from all of you as to how we can better support our members and encourage the feeling of community across our campus.
GUEST COLUMNIST
2025 Medical Staff Wellbeing and Work Experience Survey
Tell Us How You Really Feel – Complete the PHSA Medical Staff Wellbeing Survey before May 27th!
OSWELL (The Office for Medical Staff Safety and Wellbeing)
The 2025 Medical Staff Wellbeing and Work Experience Survey is now open and provides PHSA medical staff with a critical opportunity to share their experiences and shape meaningful improvements into how they wish to be supported so they can continue to deliver exceptional patient care. The survey is a commitment to inclusivity, ensuring all medical staff have a voice in shaping future wellbeing initiatives. By hearing from everyone, we can create meaningful change that supports the diverse needs of all medical staff.
The survey takes approximately 10 minutes to complete, and the deadline has been extended to May 27, giving you added time to share your feedback. All responses are confidential, and data will be aggregated to protect anonymity.
To recognize your time and input, medical staff who complete the survey will have the option to enter to receive a token of appreciation: dinner for four with Dr. Sean Virani, vice president, Medical & Academic Affairs, up to $1000 towards a health or wellness program, or—as an added thank-you—an iPad. These have been generously donated by medical leaders as a gesture of thanks.
EVENT RECAP
Female Physicians in Leadership: A Celebration of Dr. Jana Davidson
The event brought together colleagues, friends, and members of our medical staff to recognize Dr. Davidson’s outstanding career and her lasting impact on healthcare at BCCH. She is widely respected for her visionary leadership, dedication to patient care, and commitment to mentoring the next generation of medical staff.
Guests enjoyed refreshments and time to connect before the highlight of the evening: an engaging Q&A session with Dr. Davidson. During the conversation, she reflected on her journey through medicine and leadership, shared insights on navigating challenges in healthcare, and offered meaningful advice for those following in her footsteps.
The Women in Leadership group had the pleasure of hosting a night to celebrate Jana Davidson. We had the opportunity to learn from Jana’s wisdom as she shared her journey in leadership. It was a beautiful evening with old friends and new. Thank you Jana!
UPCOMING EVENTS
General Quarterly Meeting Via Zoom
Monday, June 23rd, 2025
5:00 p.m. to 6:15 p.m.
COMMUNITY
Frontline Faculty Focus
Welcome to “Frontline Faculty Focus”, where we briefly profile members of the MSA, including a few words about themselves.
If you’d like to get your mug into the newsletter, please send us an email at engagement@msacw.ca.
Laura Vicol
Senior Director C&W
Department Head, Nurse Practitioners, BCWH/BCCH
BCWH/BCCH NP Department
I have worked for C&W for nearly 19 years.
Tell us about a satisfying moment at work you’ve had recently.
As a clinician, I had the privilege of making a meaningful difference in the health of a marginalized patient struggling with mental health. Through attentive care and a genuinely engaged therapeutic partnership, I was able to support them in a way that truly mattered. This experience reinforced for me the profound impact of simply taking the time to listen, especially when time is limited.
What’s a work frustration you wish you could solve with a snap of a finger?
When coming back from a leave, having all the new emails in my inbox magically organized and sorted based on priority!
What’s a secret skill you have that most people don’t know?
Well, if it is a secret… humor aside, I am skilled at making hanging doll decorations.
Any hobbies you’d care to share?
I love art projects, writing children’s stories and, sometimes when the mood strikes me, writing abstract poetry.
Favourite trip in the past couple of years?
I had a wonderful, short trip to Crete about seven years ago that I still remember today.
Laura Vicol
Senior Director C&W
Department Head, Nurse Practitioners, BCWH/BCCH
BCWH/BCCH NP Department
I have worked for C&W for nearly 19 years.
Tell us about a satisfying moment at work you’ve had recently.
As a clinician, I had the privilege of making a meaningful difference in the health of a marginalized patient struggling with mental health. Through attentive care and a genuinely engaged therapeutic partnership, I was able to support them in a way that truly mattered. This experience reinforced for me the profound impact of simply taking the time to listen, especially when time is limited.
What’s a work frustration you wish you could solve with a snap of a finger?
When coming back from a leave, having all the new emails in my inbox magically organized and sorted based on priority!
What’s a secret skill you have that most people don’t know?
Well, if it is a secret… humor aside, I am skilled at making hanging doll decorations.
Any hobbies you’d care to share?
I love art projects, writing children’s stories and, sometimes when the mood strikes me, writing abstract poetry.
Favourite trip in the past couple of years?
I had a wonderful, short trip to Crete about seven years ago that I still remember today.
Cora Beitel (they/them)
Registered Midwife
Midwifery
How long have you been at C&W?
I’ve been at C&W for 16 years.
Tell us about a satisfying moment at work you’ve had recently.
I love my colleagues. I am genuinely happy to get to come to work and build and maintain the interprofessional and interpersonal relationships that exist. From the problem-solving I do with my nursing colleagues when we’re caring for someone with complex needs to the chats I have in the charting rooms with the other midwives and physicians, I feel a sense of belonging and real care for each other and the patients we serve.
What’s a work frustration you wish you could solve with a snap of a finger?
My ability to sustainably care for Sanctuary (MSP negative) clients and the barriers they face to be able to access pregnancy, birth and postpartum care.
What’s a secret skill you have that most people don’t know?
I have a way to see and hold the complexity of the big picture with an equity-focused lens. I find this allows for creative problem-solving.
Any hobbies you’d care to share?
I do a lot of canning—I am always making jam, pickles, and tomato sauce. It brings me great joy. I also like to cycle to work in all kinds of weather!!
Favourite trip in the past couple of years?
My favourite trip in the past couple of years was to Mexico with only my middle kid. It was a really sweet and simple one-on-one time that added a lovely ease to our relationship.
Thanks to Laura and Cora for taking part in our Frontline Faculty Focus!
MSACW Café Conversations–Brewing Community at
Our First Coffee Shop Pop-Up!
On April 1st, we swapped our usual engagement lunch for something a little different—and a lot more caffeinated! Our very first Coffee Shop Pop-Up created a cozy, café-style experience in the MSA Lounge where medical staff could relax, recharge, and connect with colleagues from across departments.
To better support our members’ busy and often unpredictable schedules, we extended the event hours from the usual lunch period to 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. We hope this provided everyone with more flexibility to drop by—whether between rounds, before starting a shift, or during a well-deserved break! Judging by the conversations and overwhelmingly positive feedback, we were thrilled with how it turned out.
Here’s to more shared moments, impactful discussions, stronger connections—and of course, great coffee!
MSACW Café Engagement Survey
Thank you to those who attended the event! We hope you enjoyed the experience and had the chance to connect and engage with your colleagues in a welcoming atmosphere.
Please take a few moments to fill out this brief survey. Your feedback is invaluable for continuing to run events such as this one, as well as helping us improve and shape future events and initiatives.
PROJECT UPDATES
Medical Staff-Led Engagement Projects:
Reflecting on 14 Impactful Projects Funded in 2024–2025
2024-2025 Funded Projects:
- Pediatric Hospital Medicine Models of Care Rejuvenation – Dr. Tom McLaughlin
- Enhancing Community Care for Children and Youth with Eating Disorders; Development & Implementation of a BC Child and Youth Eating Disorders Complex Care Clinical Pathway and Support Toolkit – Dr. Tara Tandan and Dr. Katherine Mitchell
- Collective Competence in Cutting Edge Genomics Part 3 – Dr. Linlea Armstrong
- Bronchopulmonary dysplasia outcome estimator use in NICU-stakeholder engagement, on its use at BCWH NICU – Dr. Sandesh Shivananda
- Multidisciplinary approach to choose blood gas instruments at BC Children’s and Women’s Hospital – Dr. Li Wang & Dr. Peter Skippen
- Collaborative care planning for unborn babies – Dr. Julia Charlton
- UBC Department of Pediatrics: Systems Innovation, Quality Improvement and Patient Safety (SIQIPS) Clinical Faculty Promotions Guidelines – Dr. Tiffany Wong, Dr. Sandesh Shivananda, and Dr. Mona Patel
- The Emerging Leaders Project – Dr. Caron Strahlendorf
- Update of PedMed website for sustainability and to improve efficiency – Dr. David Wensley
- Procedural sedation training course for physicians – Dr. Erica Dibb-Fuller
- Improving Assessment and Management of Adolescent Endometriosis and Chronic Pelvic Pain in British Columbia – Dr. Nicole Todd
- Establishing a Peer Coaching Program for Well-Being and Resiliency in Female Physicians – Dr. Kathryn Armstrong
- BCCH Quality Improvement Review Committee – Dr. Meera Rayar & Dr. Danya Fox
- Validating gaps and optimizing the transition from the neonatal intensive care unit to assisted home feeding at British Columbia Children’s and Women’s Hospital – Dr. Erik Skarsgard
These projects have had a significant impact on the ways we care for patients, collaborate with each other, and innovate within our fields. We’re incredibly proud of the progress made and look forward to seeing the continued outcomes of these efforts.
ANNOUNCEMENT
Call for Engagement Projects (2025/2026 Fiscal Year):
Rolling Facility Engagement Project Intake
Projects must align with the Facility Engagement Initiative Funding Guidelines and the Strategic Vision of MASES, which include:
- Improving engagement within and amongst the MSA
- Improving MSA and Health Authority engagement
- Enhancing the MSA collective voice in health system planning and decision making
- Supporting knowledge sharing and engagement with MSAs at other facilities
FEI Funding Guidelines Summary Table
→ Download PDF
The overarching purpose of the FEI is to facilitate meaningful engagement and consultation between physicians and health authority leaders. The key outcomes of this work as described in the FEI Memorandum of Understanding are listed below. Projects that explicitly address one or more of these objectives will be considered for funding.
- Improvements in effective representation of medical staff views.
- Support for medical staff contributions to the development and achievement of health authority plans and initiatives that directly affect physicians.
- Improvements in the ability of medical staff to prioritize issues significantly affecting physicians and patient care.
- Creating opportunities for meaningful interactions with Health Authority leaders, including physicians in formal Health Authority medical leadership roles.
- Improvement of physician access to appropriate information to allow for more effective engagement and interaction between physicians and Health Authority operational leaders.
- Support for physicians to acquire leadership skills required to participate effectively in discussions regarding issues and matters directly affecting physicians and their role in the health care system.
For inspiration or examples of successful FE projects, see the Facility Engagement Knowledge Sharing portal and the following document from PHSA re: Facility Engagement Projects.
For more information on how to apply for project funding, please visit our website at https://msacw.ca/mases-projects/ or email us at projects@msacw.ca for any questions.
REMINDER
MSA Dues Reminder
If you have not done so already, please use the following link to pay your MSA Dues for the 2025 year.
MSACW Wellness Corner
Apps We’ve Been Loving: Headspace
Headspace offers guided meditations, sleep support, and mindfulness tools to help manage stress and stay balanced throughout the day. A simple, effective way to build moments of calm into a busy clinical schedule.
Visit headspace.com to learn more, or download the app for your phone at the links below.
After Hours Meals Program
A reminder that MSACW members have access to the After-Hours Meals program provided by MSACW. Recognizing the lack of late-night meal options on-site, we offer medical staff the ability to claim two meals per month of hospital-delivered meals when on call after hours (5 p.m. – 5 a.m.) or on holidays (at a maximum $25 per meal).
Eligibility Requirements
To participate in the After-Hours Meal Reimbursement Program, members must meet the following criteria:
- Be working at a C&W site at the time of meal purchase and delivery
- Be working after hours (5 p.m. – 5 a.m.) or on weekends
Eligible members can submit claims for up to $25 per meal, with a limit of two meals per month.
Important Reminders
- Keep a receipt that shows the name, payment info, and delivery location to BCCHW for your claims.
- If a meal exceeds $25, upload the full receipt but only claim $25 in the claim-amount field.
- Claims must be submitted within 90 days of the expense to be processed. Anything submitted outside of this 90-day period cannot be reimbursed.