Whereas there is a lack of access to family practitioners in communities throughout British Columbia; And whereas the existing Fee for Service FFS model of compensation for family physicians does not encourage enough new medical graduates to choose family practice, and is less attractive compared to different models of compensation used in other provinces: Therefore be it resolved that the Province of BC be urged to undertake a review of the FFS model with a view to making the compensation of family physicians in BC more attractive to encourage new medical graduates to choose family practice and stay in BC.
Ministry of Health The Government of B.C. announced its vision for an integrated system of primary care across the province with Primary Care Networks PCNs as the foundation to a team-based approach. As part of this work, the Ministry and its partners are working together on the development of a suite of compensation options for physicians, nurses and other health care providers that support team based primary care and that demonstrate clear value to British Columbians. The objective of the first phase of implementation, beginning in 2018, is to increase the number of British Columbians who have access to quality primary care and are attached to a primary care provider. New funding has been allocated to recruit up to 200 GeneralFamily Practitioners GP and 200 Nurse Practitioners NP to work as part of a team-based PCN. Recruitment is targeted to GPs and NPs who do not currently have a patient panel, including recent graduates. These primary care practitioners will be engaged through a provincially standardized Service Contract, developed by the Ministry of Health in consultation with Doctors of BC and the NP Council respectively, and administered by the regional health authorities. A service contract provides income security as the practitioner establishes their practice and builds a patient panel. The recruitment process was launched by Health Match BC on August 22, 2018. Further, as part of the PCN implementation strategy, a new Service Contract will be developed and offered to established physicians with existing patient panels in approved PCNs. This new Service Contract option will be offered along with other alternative compensation options, such as blended capitation funding models, to incentivize complex care, support team-based care, and increase attachment and access to a primary care provider.