Multidisciplinary Care Goes Mainstream

The multidisciplinary Complex Chronic Diseases Program is now officially accepting patients at BC Women’s Hospital and Health Centre located in Vancouver.

The program was set up to provide patient and symptom‐centered care with the support of a multidisciplinary team of health care providers. This approach emphasizes that treatment choice takes patient preferences into account, and that self‐care is supported as well as treatment. Central to this is the development of partnership in care, and facilitation of patient involvement during assessment and in the decision making about treatment decisions.

Dr. Alison Bested is the program’s Medical Director. Bested is a specialist who has worked with complex medical illnesses for over two decades. She was most recently the Medical Specialist Liaison at the Environmental Health Clinic at Women’s College Hospital in Toronto. A number of other health professionals are on the team including: specialists, general practitioners, a psychologist, a naturopathic doctor, a nurse practitioner, a nurse, social worker and physiotherapist.

The program is specifically focused on the chronic diseases: Lyme disease, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia. Medical doctors, nurse practitioners and specialists are able to refer patients to the program for care. In addition, the program is set to evolve into an educational resource providing outreach to patients and professionals across the province.

For more information about the Complex Chronic Diseases Program, please visit bcwomens.ca.