Physician Practice Enhancement Program

The Physician Practice Enhancement Program (PPEP) is a collegial program with three distinct components designed to proactively assess and educate physicians to ensure they meet high standards of practice throughout their professional lives. Each year, hundreds of British Columbia’s physicians participate in the program.

 

 

2017 updates from PPEP

2016 updates from PPEP

2015 updates from PPEP

Assessing Performance

For most physicians, performance feedback ceases after residency. The goal of the program is to provide external evaluation and promote quality improvement in community-based physicians’ medical practice by highlighting areas of excellence and identifying opportunities to guide professional development and lifelong learning. At the conclusion of all three components, with the oversight and direction of the Physician Practice Enhancement Panel, an assessment report with benchmarks for similar practice is shared with the physician.

The three assessment components of PPEP are:

Depending on the outcome of the assessment, a physician may be required to participate in remedial or educational activities to enhance his/her practice.

Participation is Mandatory

Participation in a peer assessment program is mandated under the authority of the Health Professions Act, RSBC 1996, c.183 (HPA) and section 9-1 of the Bylaws made under the Act. All physicians who are contacted to participate in the program are required to respond to the College according to the timelines identified in the correspondence.

Collection and Protection of Information

The College is authorized under the HPA, Bylaws made under the HPA, the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, RSBC 1996, c.165 (FOIPPA) and other applicable law to collect personal information for certain purposes. In the case of the Physician Practice Enhancement Program, this also includes the inspection and assessment of records of patient care created by registrants.

The information obtained by PPEP assessors is prescribed as confidential under section 26.2 of the HPA, subject to the exceptions therein. Furthermore, the College, as a public body under the FOIPPA, is committed to protecting all personal information in its custody or under its control pursuant to the provisions of the FOIPPA.

Only in the event of egregious clinical conduct or repeated non-compliance with Physician Practice Enhancement Panel of the Quality Assurance Committee recommendations can the panel refer the matter to the College’s Inquiry Committee for an independent investigation.