#BCThanksDoug Part 5: 11 Years of Impact

On September 30, Doug Cochrane’s time as chair of the BC Patient Safety & Quality Council comes to an end. He has held the position since our organization was formed in 2008 and, needless to say, over the past 11 years he’s had a tremendous impact on our staff, our work and our province’s health care system. Leading up to September, we’ll be releasing a series of articles that highlight his time at the Council.

Previous articles: Part 1: In the Beginning; Part 2: Those Red Shoes; Part 3: Always a Teacher; Part 4: Leadership in Quality

Throughout this series we’ve had the opportunity to tell you how Doug has supported our staff, Council members, organization and partners to improve quality of care for British Columbians. Whether you consider his role as a pediatric neurosurgeon, as Chair of our precursor – the BC Patient Safety Task Force, as Professor Emeritus at UBC, or as our Chair (among many others!), the number of patients whose care he has impacted is impossible to count.

With Doug’s guidance, and in partnership with numerous partners over the past 11 years, we’ve been able to support the health care system to improve patients’ access to surgery, reduce or discontinue antipsychotic medication prescriptions and help patients have a voice in their health care system. We’ve encouraged the health care system to ask, “What matters to you?” and celebrated the accomplishments of some incredible people and projects along the way. We couldn’t have done it without him.

In 2016, Doug warmly welcomed Johanna Trimble, a patient partner, to the Council. Johanna went on to serve as a Council member for two years, and we’re thankful to have worked with her on many of our initiatives over the years through her role as a member of the Patient Voices Network. It should come as no surprise that someone who describes Doug as “the kindest man I’ve ever met” praises his ability to put patients and families at the centre of their care.

“He is, without any doubt, passionate about including patients and family as part of the ‘team,’ Johanna said. “But above all, his personal integrity is unshakeable and obvious to all who come in contact with him. He earns the trust of those around him not just by talking the talk and walking the walk, but by who he is.”

Adrian Dix, BC’s Minister of Health, recently reflected on Doug’s role:

“Dr. Doug Cochrane has played an instrumental role as chair of the BC Patient Safety and Quality Council for the past 11 years, where he used his breadth of experience to improve how health workers provide care to patients,” Dix said. “Through his time at the Council, Dr. Cochrane has brought meaningful change to B.C.’s health-care system and has inspired others to do the same.

“Now that he closes this chapter of his life, he is leaving behind a legacy of dedication and engagement that I know the talented people at the Council will take over. Our province will continue to benefit from his tremendous experience and knowledge as board chair at Interior Health and Professor Emeritus at UBC.”

There’s no doubt that Doug’s impact on patient care in our province will continue for decades to come. And so, for a final time in this blog series, we’d like to say #BCThanksDoug.