Skip to main content

Because your voice matters.

Advertising and Communication with the Public Resource

Posted • Last updated

Closed

Open to Provincial Region

Last updated

The College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia (the College) is committed to your protection and safety.

This is a summary of what you can expect of your physician or surgeon when they advertise or promote their medical services, the clinic or facility where they practise, or themselves to the public. A physician or surgeon may advertise their medical services in:
• online or printed publications
• television or radio
• social media/blog posts
• signs that are displayed in their practice setting

Most often, physicians and surgeons advertise their services to let patients know what type of medicine they practise (e.g. full-service primary care or psychiatry). Sometimes physicians and surgeons advertise for commercial purposes when they offer services that are not covered by the provincial Medical Services Plan (e.g. for elective or cosmetic surgery, or treatments such as IV vitamin therapy). These types of uninsured services are paid directly by the patient.

Regardless of the purpose for advertising, all physicians and surgeons must follow the same rules. These rules are imposed by the College in a practice standard, as well as in national requirements for advertising such as the Canadian Code of Advertising Standards and the Regulatory Requirements for Advertising issued by Health Canada.

View the draft resource here.

From Our Community

Karla Warkotsch

Patient Experience Consultant – Interior Health

Karla Warkotsch

The question I like to ask health care employees is ‘Who is this for?’ and ‘Do we have the right people at the table?’ As a health care employee, I see how easy it is to fall into doing for, rather than doing with patients. The voices of the patient, family and caregiver are essential to ensure the patient is central to the direction and focus of the work being done.