The UBC Division of Nephrology provides outstanding kidney care to patients within the Province of British Columbia, across numerous hospital sites: 2 in Vancouver at St. Paul’s Hospital and Vancouver General Hospital. In addition, Royal Columbian Hospital, Surrey Memorial, Abbotsford in the Fraser Health Authority, and at hospitals in Interior Health, Northern Health and Vancouver Island Health authorities.
The Division has a strong clinical base and provides integrated and decentralized nephrology care throughout the Province. DON has an important role in the UBC undergraduate medical curriculum, a mature nephrology postgraduate training program, offering both core nephrology training and additional post core training, and participates in the Experimental Medicine and Clinical Investigator programs of the Department of Medicine.
Research activities encompass both laboratory and clinical sciences, and combine genetic and molecular research, pharmacology and therapeutics, epidemiology and clinical trials, and population health and outcomes/economic investigations in kidney disease and transplantation. Activities are supported by peer review grants, industry funding (both investigator-initiated research, as well as unrestricted educational grants), and BC Renal and institution foundations.
The 78 physicians within the Division of Nephrology play a key role in many University, academic community and volunteer organizations in Canada and around the world. 29 of these are located and practice medicine at the downtown Vancouver sites. All aspects of our Divisional education programs, including undergraduate, postgraduate and fellowship activities are supported by one administrator.
Clinical Services
The kidney services provided by the Division of Nephrology operate within a broad provincial and regional context with established clinical guidelines, provincial contracts, information systems, central administration and co-ordination for education and other projects. This affords the Division an opportunity to be both a key contributor to and a beneficiary of provincial policies, projects and experience. British Columbia is widely recognized to be at the forefront of renal care delivery, with active programs for the early detection of renal disease in the population, multidisciplinary coordination of care, delivery of dialysis therapy in the community or at home, and novel approaches to renal transplant donation.
The organization, BC l Renal (BCR) coordinates the development and integration of renal services, funding, establishment of standards and guidelines, and works in collaboration with each of the health authorities to ensure equal access to care for all patients living with kidney disease. BC Transplant coordinates the funding and oversight of renal and other solid organ transplant services and the retrieval of cadaveric organs and tissues. A strategic partnership between the 2 organizations was developed in 2011, under the direction of the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA).
Within this framework, renal care delivery is based on established principles of integrated chronic disease management through a combination of institutional, community and home-based programs. Three tertiary care teaching hospitals, the Vancouver General Hospital (VGH), St. Paul’s Hospital (SPH Providence Healthcare) and BC Children’s Hospital (BCCH), collaborate to provide ambulatory chronic kidney disease care, in-patient management, plasma exchange (SPH), hospital dialysis and renal transplantation, and home hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis for adult and pediatric patients with renal disease throughout the province There are provincial committees for Home Hemodialysis, Peritoneal Dialysis, Hemodialysis, Kidney Care, Glomerulonephritis, and Polycystic Kidney Disease, all of which offer clinical care and research and CQI opportunities. Additional specialty services offered included Complex Maternal Care for people with CKD and Genetics.
Renal consultative services are delivered through in-patient services with outreach to other hospitals within and outside of the lower mainland, and a unique ‘telephone consultation’ is delivered by UBC Division of Nephrology members under the RACE (Rapid Access to Consultative Expertise) program to GPs for outpatients.
Service to Community
Members of the Division of Nephrology play a key role in many University, academic community and volunteer organizations in Canada and around the world.
Members of the division are involved in advisory committees, educational outreach activities, development of tools and protocols to promote consistent, high quality care for patients throughout the province. They are leaders or members on Provincial and national committees (for details see individual bios).
Administration
The Division has continued to build an administrative and financial infrastructure to support growth and development. All aspects of our Divisional education programs, including undergraduate, postgraduate and fellowship activities are supported by Maeve Lalor.
Dr Adeera Levin is Division Head, and has been working on an integrative model of Divisional structure and function. The Division strives to have a fully developed integrated presence at both downtown sites as well as provincially.
Awards & Honours
List of Awards
Dr. Michelle Wong: UBC New Faculty Research Award
Dr. Mike Copland: UBC Honour Roll for Teaching Excellence
Dr. Gerald DaRoza: UBC Honour Roll for Teaching Excellence
Dr. Mahamud Karin: UBC Honour Roll for outstanding graduate outpatient teaching
Major Achievements
The past year saw the Division of Nephrology excel in their achievements, and continue to develop the depth and breadth of excellence in clinical, administration and leadership roles.; Dr. Caroline Stigant appointed the Medical Lead, Climate Change Steering Committee with Island Health, founding member of Global Environmental Evolution in Nephrology & Kidney Care (GREEN K) and working with BC Renal on development of environmentally sustainable kidney care. Dr. Gerald Da Roza received the UBC Honour role for Teaching Excellence. Dr. Michelle Wong received the UBC New Faculty Research Award. Dr. Mohamud Karim received the Honour Roll for outstanding undergraduate outpatient teaching at UBC.
Dr Monica Beaulieu was appointed Chair – Medical Advisory Committee, Providence Health; Dr John Gill was the President American Society of Transplantation; Dr Caroline Stigant was appointed Chair – Sustainable Nephrology Action Planning (SNAP), CSN. Locally, in addition, Dr Myriam Farah chairs the PHC Nephrology Quality and Safety Committee and Dr Nadia Zalunardo is chair of the Vancouver Hospital Medical Advisory Committee. Participation in major international clinical trials for both CKD and Transplant patients, in addition to enabling COVID 19 research on vulnerable patient groups have been major achievements this academic year.
Future Directions
The Division is committed to building on its strengths to ensure the highest quality of academic and clinical activity for the University, the health system, and the community. The Division continues to develop and implement strategies to support of research and clinical interests. The growth and development of our International trainees (from New Zealand, South America, UK, Ireland, and Africa) is stimulating, and will form the basis of ongoing global (kidney) health involvement for the Division as a whole.