British Columbia’s family doctors are renewing their plea for the provincial government to ban employer-mandated sick notes, saying the practice is bogging physicians down in red tape.
The BC College of Family Physicians says writing sick notes is “not a medically necessary service,” and leaves physicians with a heavy administrative burden that eats away at time better spent treating patients.
“It only takes a moment, it’s true but it does take an appointment spot,” Dr. Charlene Lui, president of Doctors of B.C.
The Canadian Medical Association estimates doctors spend the equivalent of six million patient visits a year just writing notes for employers.
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Doctors say the BC NDP government pledged to eliminate sick notes, but have yet to follow through on the promise.
“We have …