News

Conference 2023: Thank You and Survey

Thank you for attending our gala and conference!

The Public Health Association of BC (PHABC) extends our heartfelt THANK YOU to all gala and conference attendees, presenters, and volunteers. Your presence and engagement further activates and enhances our collective commitment to a fair and healthy British Columbia for all.

We want to offer our utmost gratitude to the Honourable Janet Austin, Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia; Dr. Bonnie Henry, Provincial Health Officer of British Columbia; and André Picard, Health Columnist, The Globe and Mail. Their dedication to advancing health, well-being and equity through their leadership in public health aligns with PHABC’s mission statement. We are honoured to have featured them at our gala, 70 Years Forward.

Please note that all gala and conference photos and slideshows will be shared in the coming weeks, as PHABC’s team consolidates and prepares the assets for circulation.

Please continue to follow #PHABCCon23 on social media to re-live and appreciate conference speakers and presentations.

Public health and digital equity is just a sample of what the future offers. PHABC will continue to provide exemplary professional development opportunities to support public health growth within the province and beyond.

 


Take the Survey

Thank you again for attending our gala and conference! PHABC would greatly appreciate your feedback and insights to ensure we can continue to provide events that strengthen the public health community.

Complete the survey by December 16th to enter to win a complimentary registration to our 2024 conference.

Take the Survey Now

 


Thank You to Our Conference Sponsors!

Our conference is only possible thanks to the continued efforts of numerous volunteers and the support of various partners and sponsors. We want to specially highlight the Ministry of Health as a platinum sponsor.

PHABC’s professional development work strengthens essential knowledge and skills required of public health professionals and provides us with the opportunity to proactively respond to the educational needs of the public health workforce.

Our conference topic, Public Health and Equity in the Digital Age, aims to invigorate public health practice, education and research towards a healthy, just and sustainable digital ecology. As a sponsors for this event, we recognize our partners as champions for a digitally equitable and constructive future.

 


 

Transforming Wellbeing at Work: From the Personal to the Collective

In 2021, Bridge for Health Cooperative and the Public Health Association of BC were the recipients of a Develop Grant through Vancouver Foundation in support of our project titled At the Intersection of Service Provider Wellbeing and Equity in Healthcare and Social Services Systems Transformation.

We were funded to continue this work through a Momentum Grant with Vancouver Foundation in 2023, resulting in the development of our current pilot project titled Transforming Wellbeing at Work: From the Personal to the Collective. The pilot project continues to focus on the healthcare and social services sector and includes the development of 7 learning modules (5-thirty minute asynchronous delivery) with 7 one-hour live sessions over the course of the project (all on zoom).

We are seeking health and social service providers to participate in this pilot project with us from mid-January  – end of February, 2024 (specific dates to be announced). We have space allocated for 10 participants and can offer a $250.00 honorarium at the end of the pilot to thank you for your participation. Your input and feedback will be important to ensure we are creating a high-quality learning experience.

Criteria for participation includes:

  •  Current direct service position in healthcare/social services 
  • Commitment to engage in the entire duration of the project including all scheduled sessions.
  • Willingness to offer feedback and insights about the content and learning delivery process, through an online short survey to be sent out after each session.

If you or someone you know are interested in this opportunity, please connect with Elizabeth Bishop (Project Co-Lead) at eabishop46@gmail.com.

Thank you for your consideration!

Sincerely,

Elizabeth Bishop PhD (candidate)

Paola Ardiles Gamboa PhD

Conference 2023: Just released – draft program at a glance

 

Just released: draft program at a glance

We have been working diligently at designing an interactive and enlightening two-day conference, and we’re thrilled to share the draft program at a glance with everyone!

The draft program will primarily highlight the conference agenda, including featured speakers, workshops, oral presentations and posters.

Download the draft program

 


70 Years Forward: You’re Invited to PHABC’s Gala

The Public Health Association of British Columbia (PHABC) is thrilled to invite you to our 70th Anniversary Gala Dinner, a momentous occasion celebrating seven decades of dedicated service to public health.

We are pleased to welcome André Picard and Dr. Bonnie Henry as gala guest speakers. André Picard is one of Canada’s top health and public policy observers and commentators. He is also the author of numerous books and has received much acclaim for his writing and for his dedication to improving healthcare, including earning him the National Newspaper Award as Canada’s top newspaper columnist.

Dr. Bonnie Henry was appointed as Provincial Health Officer for the Province of BC in 2018. As BC’s most senior public health official, Dr. Henry is responsible for monitoring the health of all British Columbians and undertaking measures for disease prevention and control and health protection.

Join us for an evening of elegance and reflection as we honor our past and set our sights on the next 70 years of advancing public health in British Columbia.

Register Now

 


Gala Details

Dates: November 20th
Venue: Sutton Place Hotel
Address: 845 Burrard Street, Vancouver

Learn More

 


#PHABCCon23: About the Conference

Join us in celebrating our 70th anniversary by attending this year’s conference, “Public Health and Equity in the Digital Age.

As digital advancements shape the way health information is accessed, shared, and utilized, understanding the implications for equitable health outcomes becomes paramount.

This conference provides a timely platform to dissect these intricacies and equip practitioners with the insights needed to navigate the evolving landscape of health in the digital age.

Register Now

 


Conference Details

Dates: November 21st and 22nd
Venue: Sutton Place Hotel
Address: 845 Burrard Street, Vancouver

Learn More

 


Promotional Toolkit

PHABC turns to our vast network of public health partners to further promote our 2023 conference and gala.

Click on the links to access the promotional material.

Social Media Toolkit

Newsletter Toolkit

 


Become a Sponsor

Our conference is only possible thanks to the continued efforts of numerous volunteers and the support of various partners and sponsors.

As a sponsor for this event, your organization can contribute to a digitally equitable and constructive future.

If you are interested in sponsoring the PHABC conference, or if you would like more information about the details of our request, contact us at conference@phabc.org.

 


Volunteer at the Conference

Calling volunteers for our 2023 conference and gala dinner! Volunteers work a total of eight hours in exchange for free conference registration.

There are limited spots available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

If you’re interested in volunteering, please reach out to us at conference@phabc.org.

 


PHABC Awards

Do you know someone or an organization in the public health community whose hard work and dedication deserves recognition? Nominate them for a PHABC award!

We accept nominations year-round for outstanding individuals and organizations. This year’s deadline for the 2023 awards is October 28th, 2023.

Any nominations submitted after the deadline will be considered for the 2024 PHABC Awards.

PHABC Awards

Nomination Form


 

Conference 2023: submit your call for abstracts now!

 

Call for Abstracts: Extended to October 20th at 5pm

Healthy Aging is one of the most critical public health priorities, as it has the potential to dramatically improve the quality of life of older adults and reduce the stress on families and health systems in the future. Assistive technologies are just one strategy for enhancing and supporting healthy aging, which provides older adults the opportunity to experience higher quality of life and more inclusive communities. This can range from supporting active transportation, to digital monitoring at home.

PHABC is interested in learning from your research, or your direct experiences. We are interested in assistive technology solutions for older adults, along with strategies to address equity concerns in relation to accessing, adopting, and sustaining the use of these new technologies for older adults.

Individuals and groups are invited to submit abstracts for one or more of the following presentation format(s):

  • Oral presentation (15-20 minutes)
  • Poster presentations (in-person “walk about” during poster session & on display both days)
  • Workshop (1.5 hours)

Based on the restricted opportunities for oral presentations, we strongly encourage applicants to consider structuring their proposals, particularly if they are practice-based research, around a poster presentation.

The poster session will be held at the end of the first day on the conference on November 21st and will be designed as a ‘walk-about’ in order to structure maximum interaction with the presenters and their work.

The call for abstracts deadline is extended to October 20th at 5pm.

Learn More


Conference Goals and Objectives

Goal: To bring together public health and other related professionals to foster cross-disciplinary dialogue and collaboration, exploring the intersection of digital innovation, public health, and AI. By addressing digital equity, misinformation challenges, and innovative solutions, we strive to equip attendees with insights and strategies to harness technology’s potential for equitable health advancements in the digital age.

Objective: Participants attending the two-day conference will increase public health and wider societal capacity and stimulate knowledge transfer by attaining the following objectives. These objectives are designed to encourage participants to act and provide guidance on how participants can motivate others to take action.

Learn More

 


 

70 Years Forward: You’re Invited to PHABC’s Gala

The Public Health Association of British Columbia (PHABC) is thrilled to invite you to our 70th Anniversary Gala Dinner, a momentous occasion celebrating seven decades of dedicated service to public health.

We are pleased to welcome André Picard and Dr. Bonnie Henry as gala guest speakers. André Picard is one of Canada’s top health and public policy observers and commentators. He is also the author of numerous books and has received much acclaim for his writing and for his dedication to improving healthcare, including earning him the National Newspaper Award as Canada’s top newspaper columnist.

Dr. Bonnie Henry was appointed as Provincial Health Officer for the Province of BC in 2018. As BC’s most senior public health official, Dr. Henry is responsible for monitoring the health of all British Columbians and undertaking measures for disease prevention and control and health protection.

Join us for an evening of elegance and reflection as we honor our past and set our sights on the next 70 years of advancing public health in British Columbia.

Register Now

 


Gala Details

Dates: November 20th
Venue: Sutton Place Hotel
Address: 845 Burrard Street, Vancouver

Learn More

 


#PHABCCon23: About the Conference

Join us in celebrating our 70th anniversary by attending this year’s conference, “Public Health and Equity in the Digital Age.

As digital advancements shape the way health information is accessed, shared, and utilized, understanding the implications for equitable health outcomes becomes paramount.

This conference provides a timely platform to dissect these intricacies and equip practitioners with the insights needed to navigate the evolving landscape of health in the digital age.

Register Now

 


Conference Details

Dates: November 21st and 22nd
Venue: Sutton Place Hotel
Address: 845 Burrard Street, Vancouver

Learn More

 


Promotional Toolkit

PHABC turns to our vast network of public health partners to further promote our 2023 conference and gala.

Click on the links to access the promotional material.

Social Media Toolkit

Newsletter Toolkit

 


Become a Sponsor

Our conference is only possible thanks to the continued efforts of numerous volunteers and the support of various partners and sponsors.

As a sponsor for this event, your organization can contribute to a digitally equitable and constructive future.

If you are interested in sponsoring the PHABC conference, or if you would like more information about the details of our request, contact us at conference@phabc.org.

 


Volunteer at the Conference

Calling volunteers for our 2023 conference and gala dinner! Volunteers work a total of eight hours in exchange for free conference registration.

There are limited spots available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

If you’re interested in volunteering, please reach out to us at conference@phabc.org.

 


PHABC Awards

Do you know someone or an organization in the public health community whose hard work and dedication deserves recognition? Nominate them for a PHABC award!

We accept nominations year-round for outstanding individuals and organizations. This year’s deadline for the 2023 awards is October 28th, 2023.

Any nominations submitted after the deadline will be considered for the 2024 PHABC Awards.

PHABC Awards

Nomination Form


 

Conference 2023: call for abstracts deadline extended to October 20th

 

Call for Abstracts: Extended to October 20th at 5pm

Interested in presenting at the conference? Individuals and groups are invited to submit abstracts for one or more of the following presentation format(s):

  • Oral presentation (15-20 minutes)
  • Poster presentations (in-person “walk about” during poster session & on display both days)
  • Workshop (1.5 hours)

Based on the restricted opportunities for oral presentations, we strongly encourage applicants to consider structuring their proposals, particularly if they are practice-based research, around a poster presentation.

The poster session will be held at the end of the first day on the conference on November 21st and will be designed as a ‘walk-about’ in order to structure maximum interaction with the presenters and their work.

The call for abstracts deadline is extended to October 20th at 5pm.

Learn More

 


 

70 Years Forward: You’re Invited to PHABC’s Gala

The Public Health Association of British Columbia (PHABC) is thrilled to invite you to our 70th Anniversary Gala Dinner, a momentous occasion celebrating seven decades of dedicated service to public health.

Join us for an evening of elegance and reflection as we honor our past and set our sights on the next 70 years of advancing public health in British Columbia.

Register Now


André Picard: Gala Guest Speaker

André Picard is one of Canada’s top health and public policy observers and commentators. He is the health columnist at The Globe and Mail, where he has been a staff writer for more than 30 years.

He is also the author of numerous books and has received much acclaim for his writing and for his dedication to improving healthcare, including earning him the National Newspaper Award as Canada’s top newspaper columnist.

 

Dr. Bonnie Henry: Gala Guest Speaker

Dr. Bonnie Henry was appointed as Provincial Health Officer for the Province of BC in 2018.

As BC’s most senior public health official, Dr. Henry is responsible for monitoring the health of all British Columbians and undertaking measures for disease prevention and control and health protection.

Most recently, Dr. Henry has led the province’s response on the COVID-19 pandemic and drug overdose emergency.

 


Gala Details

Dates: November 20th
Venue: Sutton Place Hotel
Address: 845 Burrard Street, Vancouver

Learn More


#PHABCCon23: Scientific Program Committee

We are pleased to introduce Dr. Alex Choi and Dr. Shannon Freeman, our Scientific Program Committee co-chairs for our 2023 conference.

Dr. Alex Choi – SPC Co-Chair
Medical Health Officer, Vancouver Coastal Health
Clinical Instructor, University of British Columbia

Dr. Alex Choi is the Medical Health Officer for Vancouver Coastal Health. She is a dual-certified family physician and public health specialist physician, and a Clinical Instructor at UBC.

She holds a Medical Degree from McMaster University, a Master’s degree in Clinical Epidemiology from UBC, and has served populations through public health work at the local, regional, and international levels. She has a strategic interest in the role of artificial intelligence in shaping population health and public health practice.

 

Dr. Shannon Freeman – SPC Co-Chair
Associate Professor, School of Nursing, UNBC
Academic Director, Centre for Technology Adoption for Aging in the North
Academic Director, UNBC Research Data Centre

Dr. Freeman has expertise in the health and social care needs of older adults in rural and northern communities, both among community-dwelling adults and those in long-term care. Dr. Freeman was awarded a Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research – AGE-WELL Network of Centers of Excellence (NCE) 2020 Scholar Award.

Dr. Freeman’s interest in improving quality of life and care for older adults shows through her engagement in a range of community-partnered research activities, which are having a real-world impact on the rural and northern communities where the research is taking place.

Learn More

 


#PHABCCon23: About the Conference

Join us in celebrating our 70th anniversary by attending this year’s conference, “Public Health and Equity in the Digital Age.

As digital advancements shape the way health information is accessed, shared, and utilized, understanding the implications for equitable health outcomes becomes paramount.

Addressing misinformation concerns, ensuring digital access for all, leveraging AI for precision health, and enhancing quality of life through assistive technologies are crucial discussions in the pursuit of inclusive and effective public health strategies.

This conference provides a timely platform to dissect these intricacies and equip practitioners with the insights needed to navigate the evolving landscape of health in the digital age.

The conference plenary sessions will focus on four inter-related themes:

  1. AI, Misinformation and Disinformation
  2. Digital Equity and Access
  3. Innovation in Public Health Technology and AI
  4. Assistive Devices and Healthy Aging

Register Now


Conference Details

Dates: November 21st and 22nd
Venue: Sutton Place Hotel
Address: 845 Burrard Street, Vancouver

Learn More


Become a Sponsor

Our conference is only possible thanks to the continued efforts of numerous volunteers and the support of various partners and sponsors.

As a sponsor for this event, your organization can contribute to a digitally equitable and constructive future.

If you are interested in sponsoring the PHABC conference, or if you would like more information about the details of our request, contact us at conference@phabc.org.

 


Volunteer at the Conference

Calling volunteers for our 2023 conference and gala dinner! Volunteers work a total of eight hours in exchange for free conference registration.

There are limited spots available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

If you’re interested in volunteering, please reach out to us at conference@phabc.org.

 


PHABC Awards

Do you know someone or an organization in the public health community whose hard work and dedication deserves recognition? Nominate them for a PHABC award!

We accept nominations year-round for outstanding individuals and organizations. This year’s deadline for the 2023 awards is October 28th, 2023.

Any nominations submitted after the deadline will be considered for the 2024 PHABC Awards.

PHABC Awards

Nomination Form