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Birinder Narang

@birindernarang.bsky.social
1.1K followers 137 following 44 posts

Sikh - He/Him Family Physician @BCFamilyDocs - President-Elect @UBCFamPractice - Clinical Assistant Prof

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Birinder Narang @birindernarang.bsky.social · 18h
No vague commitments, just practical changes that improve access to care. Ask your local candidates where they stand. Share your story. Call for action. 🗳️ #PutHealthcareOnTheBallot #BCElection #BCPoli #FamilyDoctors #PrimaryCare
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Birinder Narang @birindernarang.bsky.social · 18h
1️⃣ Cut the admin burden: connected EMRs, fewer redundant forms, and one way to get results to the right doctor 2️⃣ Make team-based care a reality with a BC Primary Care Act 3️⃣ Support rural care: enact Brayden’s Law and protect what’s working 4️⃣ Respect physicians’ professional autonomy
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Birinder Narang @birindernarang.bsky.social · 18h
Lots of election promises are being announced with a focus on healthcare delivery in our province. Here’s what we actually need. 👇 BC votes October 24, and we’re keeping it focused. These are the 4 priorities that would make a real difference for patients & the doctors who care for them:
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Birinder Narang @birindernarang.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
Some great conversations over dinner with the presidents of @doctorsofbc.bsky.social & @cmadocs.bsky.social about online harms, connected care, and making our systems actually talk to each other. Always energizing to see national and provincial leaders aligned on safer, more connected care for all!
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Birinder Narang @birindernarang.bsky.social · 28/02/2026
23/ So to answer my friend’s question, should we be leaving this province? 

 **Shrugs**.
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Birinder Narang @birindernarang.bsky.social · 28/02/2026
22/ And this is in the province which has active eConsult & eReferral programs. I wonder how many incidents of personal health information breaches continue to happen here? I have not seen that data….
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Birinder Narang @birindernarang.bsky.social · 28/02/2026
21/ “In 2024, health information custodians reported 11,970 breaches of personal health information, compared to 10,770 in 2023, representing an increase of seven per cent across the sector. Misdirected faxes account for 5,047 of these, according to the most recent annual report from the IPC.”
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Birinder Narang @birindernarang.bsky.social · 28/02/2026
20/ Why do I keep saying inefficient referral practices lead to patient harm? Here’s an article from The Toronto Star last week www.thestar.com/news/canada/...
thestar.com
Fax machines are Ontario’s top cause of patient privacy breaches, new data reveals. Why is health care still stuck on them?
Ford government’s effort to “axe the fax” hasn’t reduced the number of breaches of medical confidentiality, according to the privacy commissioner.
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Birinder Narang @birindernarang.bsky.social · 28/02/2026
19/ In the last 2 weeks a letter went out from the MOH to health authority leadership they have placed another “temporary hold on any new technology investments”
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Birinder Narang @birindernarang.bsky.social · 28/02/2026
18/ If what I am hearing about the outcome of this review remains true, it will demonstrate another failure in apolitical digital health innovation & illogical redundancy that is wasteful to the tax payer.
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Birinder Narang @birindernarang.bsky.social · 28/02/2026
17/ - Ignored letters of support from FNHA, SFU Medical School, Doctors of BC, BC Family Doctors and more in the process advocating for restorting the program.
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Birinder Narang @birindernarang.bsky.social · 28/02/2026
16/ - Minimal engagement with the Doctors of BC in this process - Premier and his office have been meddling in this process since prior to the pause, I didn’t realize he was a digital health expert now.
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Birinder Narang @birindernarang.bsky.social · 28/02/2026
15/ - Ignored procurement process that was undertaken by the same government party , overseen by a Provincial Fairness Officer. Why should this inspire confidence in this government’s ability for oversight (ie in the HPOA).
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Birinder Narang @birindernarang.bsky.social · 28/02/2026
14/ In that time, the Premier: - appointed a temporary CEO to PHSA with a history of questionable leadership, who openly disdains physicians.
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Birinder Narang @birindernarang.bsky.social · 28/02/2026
13/ To demonstrate how ineffective this government is in this area. The DRO program had been officially live for ~6-7 months, and the review of such program has now taken double of that.
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Birinder Narang @birindernarang.bsky.social · 28/02/2026
12/ Last year at the quality forum a leader at PHSA and I were meant to present on the Health Gateway and Digital Referrals & Orders (DRO) program. This was cancelled literally a day before, due to governemnt’s decision to pause the program
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Birinder Narang @birindernarang.bsky.social · 28/02/2026
11/ Health Authority Review - Digital Health Failures This week was meant to be the annual quality forum hosted by Health Quality BC. It was cancelled unfortunately, but to me provides a stark reminder of the the idiocy of this past year.
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Birinder Narang @birindernarang.bsky.social · 28/02/2026
10/ Here is a summary of V2.0 of the proposal from 2023. static1.squarespace.com/static/5b9b2...
static1.squarespace.com
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Birinder Narang @birindernarang.bsky.social · 28/02/2026
9/ For background, psychologist advocates and leaders have been working with goverments for over 5 years trying to implement a psychologists in primary care program. An evidence based program, standard in other jurisdictions, which saves the government money.
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Birinder Narang @birindernarang.bsky.social · 28/02/2026
8/ For background, psychologist advocates and leaders have been working with goverments for over 5 years trying to implement a psychologists in primary care program. An evidence based program, standard in other jurisdictions, which saves the government money.
static1.squarespace.com
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Birinder Narang @birindernarang.bsky.social · 28/02/2026
7/ Why don’t I have more confidence in the current government? Let’s examine some recent failures. BC Greens not renewing CARGA: bcgreens.ca/caucus-state... A large part of this is the failure of the government to expand on public appointments of psychologists.
bcgreens.ca
BC Green Caucus statement on the decision not to renew CARGA
BC Green Caucus will not renew CARGA, citing the BC NDP's failure to meet 2025 commitments and a breakdown of trust.
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Birinder Narang @birindernarang.bsky.social · 28/02/2026
6/ Of course they only like to present one side of the coin, who is counting the physicians retiring, changing roles, or leaving? It isn’t difficult to recruit, it is far harder to retain. Government over-reach, high burden of administrative tasks, and antiquated systems that promote patient harm.
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Birinder Narang @birindernarang.bsky.social · 28/02/2026
5/ Scapegoating physicians in this process seems illogical and ill-advised. This government loves to tout successes of recruiting physicians. See all the ministry releases every time someone agrees to work here. Example: news.gov.bc.ca/releases/202...
news.gov.bc.ca
More U.S. doctors, nurses, allied health professionals on their way to B.C.
Increasing numbers of American health-care professionals are looking north as B.C. continues to break down barriers for U.S. health-care workers to practise here.
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Birinder Narang @birindernarang.bsky.social · 28/02/2026
4/ 3. Loss of appeal rights - wtf? What kind of society are they trying to promote here? 4. Disclosure of minor disciplinary actions. I am a strong believer that the public should have awareness of process and people that jeopardize them. That already exists.
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Birinder Narang @birindernarang.bsky.social · 28/02/2026
3/ While we of course applaud efforts to improve indigenous cultural safety, address discrimination and increasing systemic efficiencies, there are concerning processes happening concurrently. 1. Lack of Physician Consultation 2. Elimination of elected college board members
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Birinder Narang @birindernarang.bsky.social · 28/02/2026
2/ The HPOA refers to the Health Professions and Occupations Act, which repeals the current Health Professions Act, and comes into effect April 1, 2026. It creates a new oversight structure and “modernizes legislature”. The Doctors of BC has a one pager here: www.doctorsofbc.ca/sites/defaul...
doctorsofbc.ca
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Birinder Narang @birindernarang.bsky.social · 28/02/2026
1/ Yesterday, a friend who’s is a consulting specialist texted asking me “what’s the deal with this new HPOA, should we be leaving the province?” Normally I would laugh at such a finite solution in the latest of government adventures of overreach, but there are valid concerns.
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Birinder Narang @birindernarang.bsky.social · 27/02/2026
Strong possibility.
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Birinder Narang @birindernarang.bsky.social · 27/02/2026
Wait, did he apologize to Councillor Orr? 🙄
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Doctors of BC @doctorsofbc.bsky.social · 19/06/2025
Advancing #PatientSafety - Learn more about the Digital Referrals and Orders program. www.doctorsofbc.ca/technology-d...
doctorsofbc.ca
Advancing patient safety: Digital Referrals and Orders program
The Digital Referrals and Orders (DRO) program is a provincial platform that allows care teams to electronically exchange, track, and manage referrals, medical order requisitions, and consultations mo...
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Birinder Narang @birindernarang.bsky.social · 19/06/2025
Next endeavour. Look forward to working with @bcfamilydocs.bsky.social over the next few years. 🙏🏽
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Dr Joss Reimer @jossreimer.bsky.social · 18/06/2025
AB is seeing its worst measles outbreak since 1979 – last week reaching 879 cases & rising. Measles is highly contagious but preventable. The vaccine is 97% effective. Protect yourself and your community.
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Chise @sailorrooscout.bsky.social · 18/06/2025
THIS IS HUGE! An HIV PrEP drug in the form of a twice-yearly subcutaneous injection has JUST been APPROVED by the FDA. Lenacapavir was 99.9% EFFECTIVE at PREVENTING HIV in clinical trials. Let’s talk about that! 🧪🧵⬇️
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Tara Kiran @tarakiran.bsky.social · 01/04/2025
Thanks to the Medical Post for publishing my 3-part series on what 🇨🇦 Canada can learn from 🇪🇸 Spain, a country where everyone has access to primary care. ✅ geographic-based centres ✅ team-based approach ✅ embedded in community ✅ patient-held records canadianhealthcarenetwork.ca/how-spain-ma...
canadianhealthcarenetwork.ca
How Spain manages 100% primary care access
Spanish family doctors have vacation, sick leave and a pension. Part one of a three-part series.
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Birinder Narang @birindernarang.bsky.social · 21/03/2025
What a life of service. Inspirational.
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Birinder Narang @birindernarang.bsky.social · 21/03/2025
This is unacceptable, announcing a significant delay 1.5 weeks before a program is meant to go live. Every day, week, month counts for patients struggling w/ their fertility journey. It was early last year this program was announced. Shameful. #BCPoli www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
cbc.ca
B.C. delaying launch of publicly funded IVF program by 3 months | CBC News
B.C. has delayed the launch of its publicly funded in-vitro fertilization (IVF) program by three months, and some patients and doctors are frustrated.
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Birinder Narang @birindernarang.bsky.social · 06/01/2025
“You can’t fire me, I quit.”- Canadian politics.
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Mark Sumner 🌒 @devilstower.bsky.social · 29/11/2024
Six decades later, Star Trek may still be the only franchise based on the ideas that diversity is strength, justice is the measure of civilization, bounty is to be shared, peace is worth the price, and all these things can be achieved. We need more shows that look ahead and find goodness.
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Naomi Harvey PhD @naomidharvey.bsky.social · 29/11/2024
This made me laugh more than it should have 😆
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André Picard @picardonhealth @picardonhealth.bsky.social · 28/11/2024
Here's why bird flu fears are intensifying. It's already in poultry and cattle. And a recent case of a Canadian teen being infected with #H5N1, likely from a wild bird, is raising fears that the virus is spreading more easily. www.npr.org/sections/sho... via @npr.org #AvianInfluenza
npr.org
Here's why bird flu fears are intensifying
Efforts to contain the virus are falling short. A teenager in Canada is in critical condition after an unexplained infection. And the arrival of flu season has scientists on edge.
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Dr. Rita McCracken, MD PhD🇨🇦 @ritamc.bsky.social · 27/11/2024
New paper alert! @annfammed.bsky.social Want to decrease emerg visits? Provide primary care infrastructure supports so that patients can see a “within-group” provider (instead of a walk in clinic) after hours. Decreasing fragmentation of care works! www.annfammed.org/content/22/6...
annfammed.org
Health Care Utilization After a Visit to a Within-Group Family Physician vs a Walk-In Clinic Physician
PURPOSE Primary care access is a key health system metric, but little research has compared models to provide primary care access when one’s regular physician is not available. We compared health syst...
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Michelle Cohen @docmcohen.medsky.social · 27/11/2024
In the midst of current #medsky Jay Bhattacharya discourse, here's a reminder that he crowdfunded for a Canadian doctor to cover the costs of her massive lawsuit. She tried to silence critics of her anti-vax rhetoric and lost. Bhattacharya then got Musk's attention and now he's paying her costs.
Screenshot of Bhattacharya's interview with Gill on YouTube, entitled: Conversations with Jay Bhattacharya: Dr. Kulvinder Kaur Gill (anti-lockdown advocate)

Caption on the screen (of Bhattacharya) reads: You have faced tremendous backlash from Canadian medical authorities, from theScreenshot of GiveSendGo campaign for Gill featuring the video interview with Bhattacharya. 

Text reads:
Legal Fund for Kulvinder
Goal: CAD $300,000
Raised: $206,659
Campaign created by Kulvinder Kaur
Campaign funds will be received by Kulvinder Gill MPCScreenshot of CBC article title:

X to pay legal bills for doctor warned over COVID tweets

Company formerly known as Twitter says it's 'proud to defend' Brampton's Dr. Kulvinder Gill

The Canadian Press
Posted: March 25, 2024
Last Updated: March 25, 2024
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Birinder Narang @birindernarang.bsky.social · 27/11/2024
The sketch is flattering compared to the real thing 😆
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Dr N Grewal, MD @drngrewal.bsky.social · 26/11/2024
Important PSA about alcohol mixed with methanol: avoid purchasing/consuming alcohol that isn’t legally produced or sold, particularly from informal settings eg market stalls,& check labels. Can you tell fake alcohol from real? Why methanol is so hard to detect. globalnews.ca/news/1088658... #medsky
globalnews.ca
Can you tell fake alcohol from real? Why methanol is so hard to detect - National | Globalnews.ca
As authorities investigate the deaths of six tourists in Laos, here's what Canadians need to know about recognizing and preventing methanol poisoning while travelling.
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Birinder Narang @birindernarang.bsky.social · 26/11/2024
“An extensive, multi-agency public-health investigation into an avian influenza case involving a B.C. teenager has identified no additional cases nor evidence of human-to-human transmission. “ news.gov.bc.ca/31792
news.gov.bc.ca
Final update on human avian influenza case in B.C.
An extensive, multi-agency public-health investigation into an avian influenza case involving a B.C. teenager has identified no additional cases nor evidence of human-to-human transmission.
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André Picard @picardonhealth @picardonhealth.bsky.social · 25/11/2024
New B.C. Health Minister @josieosborne.bsky.social vows to revamp approach to overdose crisis after addictions portfolio is scrapped. www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/briti... via @theglobeandmail.com #ToxicDrugCrisis
theglobeandmail.com
New B.C. Health Minister vows to revamp approach to overdose crisis after addictions portfolio is scrapped
‘We are going to do everything possible that we can to reduce the number of deaths and the impacts on people and families,’ B.C. Health Minister Josie Osborne said
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Jody Vance @jodyvance.bsky.social · 25/11/2024
Here's my other one. go.bsky.app/GGoP5kf #starterpacks
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Timothy Caulfield @caulfieldtim.bsky.social · 25/11/2024
Most Don’t Know That Alcohol Raises Cancer Risk www.annenbergpublicpolicycenter.org/most-dont-kn... Only 40% "know that regularly drinking alcohol increases the risk of later developing cancer." Want to make a big difference on health? Focus on the evidence-informed basics.
annenbergpublicpolicycenter.org
Most Don’t Know That Alcohol Raises Cancer Risk | The Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania
APPC data show that less than half of Americans know that regularly drinking alcohol increases the risk of later developing cancer.
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Jody Vance @jodyvance.bsky.social · 25/11/2024
Here's one of my #starterpacks go.bsky.app/Vp39rtu
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Birinder Narang @birindernarang.bsky.social · 21/11/2024
Lol Possible.
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