Research internationally and in BC demonstrates that good primary care is beneficial to patient health and leads to a more sustainable health care system*.
Family physicians are central to primary care delivery. Recognizing this, the General Practice Services Committee (GPSC) – a joint committee of the Ministry of Health and Doctors of BC – has expanded A GP for Me beyond the three communities that piloted the program and given all practising family doctors who are providing continuous care to patients in BC the opportunity to participate in the initiative.
A GP for Me consists of funding at two levels:
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At the physician practice level, $60.5 million in new fee incentives has been introduced to enhance practice efficiency and support doctors’ capacity to take on new patients including new fees for:
- Telephone consultations for the first time ever in BC.
- Compensating doctors for the extra time patients with chronic conditions require.
- Taking on new patients, with different funding amounts offered for average versus complex patients.
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At the community level $40 million in funding has been made available through to the end of March 2016 to enable Divisions of Family Practice to:
- Conduct research to evaluate the number of people looking for doctors in their communities; seek input from local family physicians; and identify the strengths and gaps in local primary care resources.
- Develop a community plan for improving local primary care capacity, including a mechanism for finding doctors for patients who are looking for one.
Family physicians are critical to this planning process. If you are not already a member, we encourage you to provide your contact information to your local division. The more doctors who get involved to contribute their ideas to the plan, the better.
You may go to the GPSC website to find more information about fees and divisional supports.
*Starfield, B. L. Shi, H.-Y. Chang, K.W. Lemke and J.P. Weiner. 2009. “Ambulatory Specialist Use by Nonhospitalized Patients in US Health Plans: Correlated and Consequences.” Journal of Ambulatory Care Management 32(3):216-25
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| A GP for Me (Attachment) fee codes and billing information | Resources and Information for Divisions | |
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Physicians can visit the General Practice Services Committee (GPSC) website for information on A GP for Me billing and fee codes. Physician resources listed on the GPSC site include:
Click here to learn more. |
A GP for Me resources for Divisions of Family Practice can be found on the Divisions website, including:
Visit the Divisions site to find more division-specific A GP for Me resources. |