Find the latest news from the provincial team and complementary organizations in this issue
of Divisions Dispatch. We encourage you to share it with your members. This issue can also
be found on the Divisions website.
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New sessional rates for 2015
CMPA dues increase explained
Ongoing EMR-based practice support within divisions
PSP Update: Future direction
Upcoming workshop: Strengthening Financial Stewardship. February 18
Rural and Remote Division hosts training and networking opportunities for
BC rural locum physicians. February 26 – 28.
7. Reminder: March 31 deadline for physicians to submit for MU3 and related
payment
8. New provincial staff to support local divisions
9. Committee funds doctors’ ideas for improvement
10.Divisions in the News
1. New sessional rates effective April 1, 2015
Effective April 1, 2015, sessional rates will go up 0.5%. Revised Sessional templates and
guidelines are in development and will be sent by the support team to all Divisions for
reference. For further questions please email [email protected].
2. CMPA dues increase explained
The Canadian Medical Protective Association Rebate Program provides eligible physicians
with partial reimbursement of their CMPA dues. For the last decade, the dues doctors paid
were based on 1985 rates with the full amount of the difference to current year rates
reimbursed to them through the Rebate Program. Last year CMPA announced that beginning
in January 2015 the CMPA dues it charges doctors will drastically increase due to higher and
more frequent payouts in claims. This meant the rebate program had to be revaluated and
its changes have been incorporated into the 2014-2019 Physician Master Agreement.
Going forward, funding for the CMPA Rebate Program will be allocated among physician type
of work category so that the net proportional contribution of CMPA dues by physicians will
retain the 1985 CMPA fee structure. Because there is a finite amount of annual funding for
reimbursement of dues and because changing variables mean at best we can only give an
estimate of what the total reimbursement each year might be, the rebate amounts will
fluctuate, but the physician payments will remain proportional. In 2015, for GPs with
obstetrics including labour and delivery, this means that your expense of $1200 (based on
the 1985 CMPA dues rate) will increase by an estimated 50 - 60%, with the rebate growing
to cover the remaining cost of the CMPA dues increase of 109%.
3. Ongoing EMR-based practice support within divisions
Many divisions have maintained committees to facilitate leadership and coordination of
EMR/IT within their communities, either as a division board sub-committee or as a separate
“EMR Community of Practice” committee. Divisions wishing to continue these committees
and related member IT meetings (other than EMR user groups) are encouraged to do so and
should ensure that funding is addressed in their infrastructure budgets.
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Central EMR/IT support & coordination: GPSC is funding an additional year of Central
EMR/IT support while a business plan is developed for ongoing technical support in
physician offices. Within the Practice Support and Quality department, there will be
continued core support services in 2015/2016 for EMR vendor coordination, EMR
enhancement (e.g. EMR-2-EMR data transfer and forms/ requisitions/ templates),
and the technology support service.
Technical Support for EMRs offered by Practice Support and Quality: If a member’s
office is experiencing substantial technical issues with their electronic medical record
(EMR) or local network that are unresolved by their EMR/IT vendors, technical
assistance is available through the Practice Support & Quality department by
contacting Technology Solutions & Support (TSS) at 604 638-5841 or
[email protected]. Visit the Technology Solutions & Support website for
more information about TSS and its services.
4. PSP Update: Future direction
The Practice Support Program (PSP) is excited to share an update on its evolving service
delivery model. PSP launched in 2007 with a goal of providing module support to physicians
and has continually refined its goals and services to better align with the developing needs
of physicians and BC’s health care system. In response to strong physician and local division
feedback, PSP developed a fully-integrated service shaped by two key drivers: flexible and
streamlined service delivery and the increasingly important role of EMRs in quality
improvement work. In its ongoing planning for maintaining meaningful support to
physicians and their teams at the practice level, PSP is considering five key elements:
collaboration with partners, module delivery, practice coaching, EMRs in ongoing quality
improvement work, and accreditation of PSP programs for CME credit. Read more about the
future of PSP.
5. Upcoming workshop: Strengthening Financial Stewardship. February 18
As part of the Provincial Training Initiative, Vantage Point hosted a webinar - Strengthening
Financial Stewardship - on January 28, 2015. The hands-on version of the workshop takes
place Wednesday, February 18 (5:30-8:30pm) at the Vantage Point training facility at 1183
Melville Street, Vancouver. Follow the link above for registration and location information.
There is no participation fee but attendees are responsible for travel, accommodation,
and/or incidental expenses. These workshops have been reviewed by the College of Family
Physicians of Canada and are awaiting final accreditation by the College’s BC Chapter for up
to three Mainpro-M1 credits.
6. Rural and Remote Division hosts training and networking opportunities for BC
rural locum physicians. February 26 – 28.
On February 28, 2015 the Rural and Remote Division of Family Practice is hosting “Rural
Health Care Through the Locum Lens“ at the Vancouver Island Conference Centre in
Nanaimo, BC. Offered through UBC Continuing Professional Development, this event
provides an opportunity for rural BC locum physicians to build skills and share experiences
with other locums, rural community members, and stakeholders including HealthMatch BC,
the Rural Coordination Centre of BC, the Rural Education Action Plan, and the Rural GP
Locum Program. Key speakers are internist Dr Hector Baillie, cardiologist Dr Arun Natarajan,
intensivist Dr Kevin Patterson, respirologist Dr John Ronald, and clinical pharmacist Dr Cait
O’Sullivan. Additionally, The CARE Course, Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Third
Trimester Obstetrical Ultrasound, and Basic Life Support (BLS) will be offered on February
26 and 27.
See the UBC RCPD website for registration information or to download the registration
brochure. The conference is accredited for 5.25 Mainpro-M1 / MOC Section 1 credits with
separate credits issued for pre-courses.
7. Reminder: March 31 deadline for physicians to submit for MU3 and related
payment
The PSP’s EMR Post-Implementation Support to achieve Meaningful Use Level 3 (MU3) is
drawing to a close. Physicians are reminded to complete their Objective Data Dashboard
(ODD) report submissions and related payment requests by end-of-day on March 31, 2015.
There are two key steps to complete the support and receive post-implementation support
payments by March 31:
1. To access the $1,000 advance and six Mainpro C credits for participating in the
support cycle:
 Complete the Progress Assessment with your PAC, who will review the status
of the support you have received and progress toward MU3, and help you to
resolve any remaining gaps/needs.
2. To receive the remainder of the $3,000 funding:
 Confirm meaningful use via the ODD in your EMR and submit the report to
[email protected]. The dashboard focuses on ensuring data
consistency and sufficiency for QI and exchange with other providers
("interoperability").
For more information, please contact your PAC or email [email protected].
8. New provincial staff to support local divisions
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Susan Climie joined the Divisions of Family Practice provincial team on January 5,
2015 as a Physician Engagement Leader. A Vancouver native, Susan has a BA
(Political Science) from UBC, an MBA from Western, and worked as an investment
banker in New York, Toronto, and Vancouver before switching to the non-profit
sector. After four years with Family Services of Greater Vancouver she spent nine
years with Big Brothers Big Sisters, first as Interim Executive Director in Vancouver
and then as National Director of Training. She is Board Governance Chair of Kitsilano
Neighbourhood House and a member of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada’s National
Board Leadership Committee. Susan’s experience is a valuable addition to the
Divisions of Family Practice team. Contact Susan at [email protected] or 604
638-2880.
Laurie Cooper started as the provincial Divisions team’s Communications Officer
(Media) on December 1, 2014. Her background includes CBC Radio and Television,
several years in freelance journalism, and ten years as a communications consultant
with clients including the Canadian Tourism Commission, Four Seasons Hotels, and
Fairmont Hotels. She was also Executive Director of a local non-profit organization
for two years. Laurie is looking forward to helping divisions engage the media with
their stories. Contact Laurie at [email protected] or 604 638-7859.
9. Committee funds doctors’ ideas for improvement
The Doctors of BC-WorkSafeBC Projects and Innovation Committee formed in 2014 with the
goal of developing and implementing pilot projects that improve disability management of
injured workers. The committee is asking doctors to submit project ideas that could improve
outcomes and efficiency of care for WorkSafeBC patients, and/or improve communications
and lower administrative barriers between physicians and WorkSafeBC. Submissions can be
concepts rather than fully developed ideas, as the committee will provide project
management support in consultation with the applicant(s). For more information see the
Doctors of BC website or contact Cindy Myles, Doctors of BC Senior Analyst, Physician and
External Affairs, at [email protected] or 604-638-2834.
10. Divisions in the News
Media coverage is monitored by the Divisions provincial communications team and compiled
on the Divisions in the News page. If you would like more information on a particular story,
please contact Jeff Chan at [email protected].
Date
Division
Publication
Title
2/3/2015
Burnaby
Vancouver
Courier
Health: Are your relationships healthy?
2/3/2015
Nanaimo
Nanaimo News
Bulletin
Clinic offered for students
1/30/2015
Nanaimo
Nanaimo Daily
News
Rossland News
Health services lead to improved
performance
Moms go virtual for healthy babies
1/29/2015
Kootenay
Boundary
1/23/2015
Interior
Health region
Okanagan Life
Interior Health highlights from Chair Erwin
Malzer
1/22/2015
Ridge
Meadows
Maple Ridge and
Pitt Meadows
News
Foreign doctors settling in Maple Ridge
and Pitt Meadows
1/21/2015
Kootenay
Boundary
Juice FM
Tele-maternity comes to Kootenay
Boundary
1/20/2015
Burnaby
Vancouver
Courier
Health: What keeps us from eating well?
1/20/2015
Kootenay
Boundary
Castlegar Source
Moms go virtual to help keep infants
healthy
1/16/2015
North Peace
Alaska Highway
News
Fort St. John gets new walk-in clinic
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