Doctors of B.C. to recount vote after Dr. Brian Day elected

An Oliver doctor who lost his bid to be the next president of Doctors of B.C. is calling for a recount after losing by one vote to one of the country's strongest advocates for private medical surgery options.

Dr. Alan Ruddiman lost to Dr. Brian Day — 946 to 945 — when the results of the election were announced earlier this week. Doctors of B.C. has agreed to the recount.

Meanwhile Ruddiman calls the vote by physicians across the province incredibly disappointing, after only about 2,100 of the 10,000 eligible doctors in B.C. actually voted.

"Clearly this is not, I believe, the finest hour for doctors in British Columbia," said Ruddiman.

Day, who co-owns the controversial Cambie Surgery Centre in Vancouver, is currently suing the province, arguing patients have a right to use private clinics for surgery if waits in the public system are too long.

Ruddiman says he does not support Brian Day`s push for more private involvement in the public health system, but admits the universal model could do better.

"If other nations can do this more efficiently in a publicly-funded system, where are the tripping points in British Columbia and Canada? I think we need to explore that first," he said.