Staff Spotlight
Providing compassionate, multidisciplinary care as a Primary Care Physician
Meet Dr. William Mak, Physician and Medical Lead of the Anne Vogel Clinic, which provides comprehensive services and treatment to people using opioids living in Richmond and surrounding areas.
Dr. Mak focuses on treating patients with opioid use disorder as the Primary Care Physician and Addiction Specialist. As the Medical Lead, he strives to improve patient care and foster a supportive team environment for physicians.
Collaborative, multidisciplinary team
Dr. Mak thrives in the collaborative environment of the clinic, working with a diverse team of physicians and health-care professionals, including peer support workers, social workers, counsellors, nurses, and more. “The thing that I love about this job is the ability to work in a multidisciplinary clinic, acknowledging and respecting the opinions of everyone and truly feeling part of a work family that can support one another,” he shares.
This team-based approach allows patients to receive a continuum of care, from building rapport with peer support workers to receiving therapy and psychosocial support from counsellors and social workers. The clinic also collaborates with mental health teams and subspecialty clinics to provide integrated, holistic care.
Life-changing health care
In Dr. Mak’s perspective, every patient encounter is a chance to make a life-changing impact. “That one visit where you see a patient make a change by engaging in health care and want to start Opioid Agonist Therapy (OAT) may be the visit that makes that stop using unregulated opioids,” he explains. “It can make the difference between life and death…or the start of a path to recovery where their entire life changes for the better.”
He is driven by the positive changes he sees in his patients, including those who have stopped using substances after OAT, and are now working, volunteering and giving back to their communities.
Balance and continuous learning
The administrative support and flexibility at Vancouver Coastal Health allow Dr. Mak to fulfill his passion of treating patients, while maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Physicians are encouraged to contribute to quality improvement opportunities, develop their leadership skills, and pursue projects and roles they are interested in.
Join our team
“I am privileged to work with a team of dedicated individuals who share this same goal,” Dr. Mak concludes. “I do not see my role at Anne Vogel Clinic as a job, but more so working alongside friends and like-minded individuals who share a similar goal. Because of this, I look forward to coming to the clinic every day.”