Dr. Joshua Greggain, Site Medical Director, Fraser Canyon Hospital and Community, was named the 2016 Health Care Hero for Fraser Health at the 10th annual BC Health Care Awards.
The Gold Apple awards were handed out June 27, 2016 at a gala luncheon hosted by the Health Employers Association of BC (HEABC) at the Pan Pacific Hotel in downtown Vancouver.
Many people assume that the health care services in isolated communities are inferior to those of larger centres, but Dr. Greggain is proving that through partnerships and hard work, residents of smaller communities can enjoy the same high-quality care that urban residents have come to expect.
As Site Medical Director for Fraser Canyon Hospital, Dr. Greggain acts as both Chief of Emergency and family physician for communities that stretch across 64 kilometers from Hope to Boston Bar. Reliable access to 24/7 emergency care is critical for the Fraser Canyon due to its isolation and location at the intersection of three major highways.
Thanks to Dr. Greggain’s efforts, emergency services, which had been threatened by reductions, are maintained around the clock – a major achievement for any small community. Dr. Greggain also played a major role in establishing the Anderson Creek Rural Satellite Clinic in Boston Bar, which is operated by the First Nations Health Authority. The clinic is seen as a model of collaboration with Health Canada, Boston Bar First Nation and Fraser Health working together to bring primary care services to the community.
Dr. Greggain provides regular support to the clinic, in addition to his role at the Hope Medical Centre, despite the fact that it is an hour’s drive in each direction up and down the same winding roads that make 24/7 emergency care so critical. The Clinic sees about 480 patients per year, many with complex health issues who would otherwise have to travel to Hope for health care services.
For working tirelessly to ensure that isolated communities have the same access to the high-quality health care and medical services that residents of larger, urban centres enjoy, Dr. Greggain was named this year’s Health Care Hero for Fraser Health. For more information on the BC Health Care Awards, visit www.bchealthcareawards.ca. To view videos of the Gold Apple winners, visit the BC Health Care Awards YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/user/BCHealthCareAwards.