One year after it was announced, new pay model for B.C. family physicians showing signs of success

KAMLOOPS — Last year, the B.C. government introduced changes to the way family doctors are paid and a local physician says he’s already noticed an improvement.

Dr. Grant Del Begio has practiced in the Kamloops area for 30 years and is also the spokesperson for the Thompson Division of Family Practice. He says the payment change has eased some of the pressure on family health care, but it will be years before the family doctors situation is stabilized.

“This basically staunched the bleeding that had happened over two decades, really. And it’s stopped that,” notes Del Begio. “But to turn the corner and to really build this up, it is going to take time, but I think we’re certainly moving in the right direction.”

The Longitudinal Family Physician payment model — or LFP — was launched to encourage existing doctors to stay in the profession and bring in new ones. And Del Begio says so far, it’s working.

“I see more of them having that greater interest in staying around, taking over family practice opportunities. And that’s what I’m seeing in the community,” he adds. “Whereas doctors were retiring and their patients were being orphaned. Now I see those, at least practices are being taken over.”

The previous model didn’t pay doctors for additional time spent on paperwork or office time. The change in how doctors are paid has been in place for a little less than a year.

“Basically, one of the things it did is start to recognize all the after hours work in charting, doing forms, doing administration that family physicians were doing that was really unpaid for completely,” explains Del Begio.

B.C.’s health minister, Adrian Dix, says the year before the agreement was formed, 80 per cent of billings were through the fee-for-service model. This year, it will be only 20 per cent.

“More than 3,800 family physicians have joined the model,” Dix told CFJC Today. “It’s about 75 per cent of existing doctors, plus 600 more, which is really significant I think.”

However, Dix says this payment shift isn’t the be-all, end-all. Other measures need to be taken to give more people access to a family doctor.

“We’re tripling the practice ready assessment program, which supports communities — especially smaller communities such as Merritt, Clearwater and other communities in your area — which often depend on this program,” notes Dix. “We’re tripling that program from 32 to 96 entries a year.”

Additionally, Del Begio says helping family doctors with the business aspects, such as set up and management of their practices, would be another way to help with retention and recruitment.

“I’ve been involved in a clinic for many years and been involved in that management part of it, and it’s not for everybody. And many, particularly younger physicians don’t seem to want to take on that job,” explains Del Begio. “I think more clinic space over time would be really important.”

It will take years to fully rebuild the family doctor shortage in B.C., but physicians say being paid for the broad scope of work is a good start.

“I think long term, we’re going to build on this,” noted Del Begio. “We’re going to see more residents staying, and enjoying looking after residents in this great community in Kamloops.”