About

The Squamish General Hospital MSA is comprised of active, facility-based physicians who engage with health authority (VCH) partners to address challenges in the health care system and support quality patient care with a strong emphasis on diversity, equity and inclusion.

The Squamish Hospital first opened in 1952 to serve the growing needs of the Howe Sound corridor. A new facility was built in 1988 increasing the capacity. In 1984, Hilltop House was opened as an intermediate and long-term care facility to complement the acute care services provided by Squamish General Hospital.

The Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw have lived in this area for more than 10,000 years. Sḵwx̱wú7mesh culture was created from these lands, waters, and people over generations and its people continue to practice many of the traditions, customs, and ways of their ancestors and pass them on to future generations. We honour and respect that the lands on which we practice are the unceded, ancestral home of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh people.

The mission of the Squamish General Hospital MSA is to provide support and collaboration between physicians and health authority staff to meet the following goals:

• Advocate for our membership
• Ensure that member thoughts, concerns and views are appropriately raised and represented, and
• Raise any issues that may prevent us from better serving our patients, our community and Vancouver Coastal Health

The Squamish General Hospital MSA has been in existence for over twenty years. In 2017, the MSA began to receive funding via the Facility Engagement Initiative for hospital-based projects led by physicians and health authority staff to address quality improvement initiatives.

The MSA meets on a quarterly basis and collects member dues bi-annually to support the work of the MSA President.

The operational structure of our MSA has been developed, approved and adopted by our membership.

Medical staff policies set the framework for the governance of medical staff and the relationship between health authorities and physicians.

Through our Working Group, we have established three strategic goals, which are revisited every year and updated as needed:

1. To increase engagement with local and regional health authority managers, directors, as well as senior managers;
2. To engage, support and recruit [to the Working Group] physicians, health authority, and allied health representatives through the MSA Facility Engagement governance structure; and
3. To support local physicians to engage in participating actively and collaboratively with health authority around perceived challenges, quality improvement or change initiatives.