Registration is now open for the 2025 BC Rural Health Conference

Registration is now open for the 2025 BC Rural Health Conference

Register for BC RHC

You are invited to the BC Rural Health Conference (RHC), taking place June 6–8, 2025, in Prince George, BC. This annual gathering goes beyond professional development—it's about building connections and celebrating the spirit of rural healthcare.

Bringing your family? Be sure to register early as childcare spots are limited.

• All-new format! This year’s schedule includes a full day of hands-on workshops and an expanded line-up of rapid-fire lectures—offering more ways to stay current on the latest in rural and family medicine
• Celebrate the BC Rural Health Awards
• Enjoy wellness activities, outdoor excursions, supervised childcare and more
• Connect and network with rural peers from across BC and beyond
• Pre-conference courses include: The CARE Course, CASTED: Emergency and myoActivation 

Register now! Early bird rates end April 15, 2025.

Register for BC RHC

EMR Skill Building: EMR Security Basics

The Doctors Technology Office (DTO)’s next EMR Skill Building for OSCAR, focused on EMR Security Basics, is scheduled for March 19.

These sessions will focus on various topics and are designed to help physicians and practice team members expand their expertise in using their Electronic Medical Records (EMR).

The upcoming session on EMR Security Basics will cover best practices for auditing, roles and permissions, obtaining and storing consent, and handling privacy breaches.

If you wish to receive your EMR-specific invite, which includes the registration link, or wish to be alerted to future EMR Skill Building sessions, please complete the online form to be added to our mailing list.

Payments for physicians joining the PAS after March 31, 2024

Family physicians and clinics participating in the Provincial Attachment System (PAS) for the first time who have not previously claimed the one-time Panel Registry Payment or the Clinic and Provider Registry Payment will be eligible to apply for these payments in March 2025.

Funding is available to all physicians providing longitudinal patient care to a panel of patients under all payment models.

• Panel Registry Payment ($6,500 per FP): The payment is available to FPs who upload their full patient panel and indicate their availability to accept new patients by March 31, 2025, and have not previously claimed this payment through billing 14011 or 98111.
• Clinic and Provider Registry Payment ($2,000 per longitudinal family medicine clinic): The payment is claimed by medical directors (on behalf of clinics) for adding and validating clinic information in the Clinic and Provider Registry for the first time by March 31, 2025, provided they have not previously claimed this payment through billing 14012 or 98112.    

Instructions on how to claim the payments will be shared with eligible physicians as soon as possible. Please email fp.billing@doctorsofbc.ca with any questions.

Extension of inpatient care transition supports due to delay in the Comprehensive Care Payment

Extension of inpatient care transition supports due to delay in the Comprehensive Care Payment
The Ministry of Health, Doctors of BC, and BC Family Doctors through the Primary Care Compensation Working Group (PCCWG) are responsible for the LFP Payment Model and the new Comprehensive Care Payment (CCP).

FPSC has been notified that the PCCWG needs more time to finalize the design and implementation of the CCP. As a result, the CCP launch will be delayed beyond the previously announced April date.

The CCP launch was meant to align with the end of FPSC Transition Funding for Inpatient Care on March 31, 2025. As the CCP launch is now delayed, FPSC approved extending the FPSC Transition Funding for Inpatient Care for up to six months until September 30, 2025—this will support family physicians in providing inpatient care while the PCCWG continues its work. Please note that while FPSC Transition Funding for Inpatient Care continues, implementation of the On-Call/Availability Funding for Inpatient Care will remain on hold.

We believe that the new CCP is part of the solution, and we will continue working with family physicians to understand more deeply the challenges of providing care in facilities.

FPSC values your commitment to your patients and to providing a broad scope of services in your communities. We recognize it has been a year of change and uncertainty, and acknowledge that ongoing work needs to happen to support and sustain care in our communities. FPSC is committed to strengthening and improving inpatient care and is working with the PCCWG through the ongoing changes.

We will provide an updated timeline and details for the CCP as soon as we receive them. More details about any process needed to extend transition funds will be shared with Divisions shortly. If you have any questions, please contact fp.billing@doctorsofbc.ca

Dr Sari Cooper, FPSC Co-Chair and Family Physician

Ted Patterson, FPSC Co-Chair and Assistant Deputy Minister, Primary Care Division, BC Ministry of Health

Re-enrolment required for billing under LFP Payment Model

Physicians who want to continue billing under the LFP Payment Model must re-enrol by March 31. Steps for re-enrolment.

Funding available for Rural and Remote Medicine Course and Conference

The Joint Standing Committee on Rural Issues (JSC) has announced funding for eligible BC rural physicians to participate in-person at the 32nd Annual Rural & Remote Medicine Course and Conference (April 24-26, 2025 in Winnipeg, Manitoba). The event is hosted by the Society of Rural Physicians of Canada (SRPC).

The JSC will provide eligible BC rural physicians with a $1,000 stipend to offset expenses to participate at the event in-person. To be eligible to receive funding, physicians must reside and practice in an eligible RSA community for at least nine months per year.

Please email ruralprograms@doctorsofbc.ca to confirm your eligibility.

Urgent and Primary Care: Connect 2025

Physicians and other clinicians will gather at this first-of-its kind event on urgent and primary care, hosted by Vancouver Coastal Health. Gain valuable insights into best practices and innovative strategies that enhance team-based urgent and primary care. Learn more about the agenda and speakers.

Tuesday, May 6 – Wednesday, May 7, 2025

Register online to secure your spot and for earlybird rates.

Earn up to eight certified Mainpro+® credits.

Eligibility for the Digital Referrals & Orders Program

The Digital Referrals & Orders (DRO) program is continuing to onboard clinics from across B.C. There is a phased rollout underway – read on to learn who is eligible to onboard.

• Who can join now – community family practice clinics across all of BC and community specialist clinics from all regions except northern BC.
• Who can join later – specialist clinics in northern BC (eligible to onboard once the primary EMR is integrated). Health authority operated locations (currently on hold) – the program is focusing on establishing referral networks with community-based family practice and specialist clinics

If your clinic is eligible to onboard, please register your interest and a member of the DRO team will be in touch. For more information, contact ereferralsbc.phsa.ca.

Upcoming Changes to FPSC Network payments (14010 and 14086)

The FPSC Assigned Inpatient Care Network (14086) and Maternity Network (14010) fee codes will end on March 31, 2025. Beginning April 2025, eligible physicians participating in the above networks will claim these network payments by submitting a FPSC payment claim form. More details on how to claim the payments will be shared as soon as possible.

For any questions, please contact fp.billing@doctorsofbc.ca

CHS clinicians use of Provider Communication Note in PowerChart

To improve information sharing and better meet Primary Care Provider (PCP) requests for regular updates, modifications are being made to how Community Health Services (CHS) clinicians use the Provider Communication Note in PowerChart.

CHS clinicians will now use the Provider Communication Note to share key updates with PCPs, including:

• When a patient starts CHS services
• The services the patient will receive and from which disciplines
• Contact information for the most responsible care team
• Changes in the patient’s health status
• Updates to the patient’s care plan
• When the patient is discharged from CHS

These enhancements will ensure more timely and consistent updates, supporting coordinated patient care. Provider Communication Notes will be sent according to existing report distribution preferences, ensuring information is received as expected. Expect to see these improvements in the next few weeks.

Jennifer Pinette (she/her)
Strategy Director, Planning & Partnerships, Primary Care Strategy

NEW Pathways Integration with an AI Scribing Tool

Users have suggested integrating Pathways handouts into AI scribing tools. In response, Pathways is pleased to announce its first collaboration with the AI scribe  Autochart.ai, and looks forward to integrating with other AI scribes in the future.

For users of Pathways and Autochart.ai, the scribe app can now suggest relevant  Pathways patient handouts based on the conditions discussed during a visit. These handouts can then be sent directly to the patient from a Pathways no-reply email.

Here is an example of a patient visit, presenting with a migraine, and the Pathways handouts selected by the AI:

*The integration is one-way and pertains only to patient handouts.

Users will need to have both Pathways and Autochart.ai open in order to email resources to patients. To have the Pathways handouts show by default in the right pane (as above), Autochart users can select this option in their user settings.

Further integrations with AI scribing tools are currently being explored. Pathways welcomes user feedback about this new integration at contact-us@pathwaysbc.ca

Save-the-Date: Multi-Community CME in Tofino

The Matrix: Approaches to Care & Treatment in Addiction Medicine

Dates: Friday, April 25 – Saturday, April 26, 2025
Location: Tofino, BC
5 Mainpro+ credits (anticipated)

Register your interest!

This will be a 2 day event in Tofino Friday April 25 and Saturday April 26.
We anticipate Main Pro credits as well as coverage for hotel rooms.
Rather than taking a list of interest, we are asking you to use the QR code on the poster to register.
This is a save the date. More details will be forthcoming.

Please join us. Division members from Oceanside, Port Alberni and Long Beach Chapter will be there.

Pathways Events

Pathways Lunch & Learn on March 4th, 12:30 - 1:00 PM

Register to learn quick tips to streamline care using Pathways, including an overview of the new Care Pathways for Concussion and Pelvic Floor Disorder. Bring your lunch and questions for our team - whether you're new to Pathways or a seasoned user.

REGISTER

New Care Pathways for Concussion & Pelvic Floor Disorders

The Concussion Care Pathway can be found as a clickable button at the top of the Specialty of Neurology. This Care Pathway, created by GPAC/BC Guidelines, is part of the ongoing collaboration between Pathways and the provincial guidelines group.

The Pelvic Floor Disorders Care Pathway can be found as a clickable button at the top of the Specialty of Obstetrics & Gynecology. This Care Pathway works across BC, and was created as part of a Shared Care project of Fraser Northwest Division.

Oceanside Hospice Society

The Oceanside Hospice Society serves individuals and families experiencing end-of-life, care-giving and bereavement in the area stretching from Deep Bay to Nanoose, and west to Errington and Whiskey Creek
We strive to provide links in the continuum of care by supporting care giving at home, in hospital or the palliative care unit at Trillium and at community care facilities.
Please contact us at 250.752.6227 or visit www.oceansidehospice.com for further information.

Divisions Dispatch

The latest news from the provincial team and complementary organizations.

Please click here for updates including:

• LFP Payment Model updates
• Updated BC Cancer screening report titles
• Divisions invited to meet with BC Cancer Cervix Screening Program to prepare for transition from cytology to HPV primary screening
• East Kootenay family doctor develops guide to reducing environmental impact of health care
• July 19 webinar | Antidepressants and substance use
• July 20 webinar | Updates on risks and harms of alcohol use
• Opioid use disorder training for doctors and their clinical teams: LOUD in PC Collaborative
   

Divisions in the News

Divisions in the News
See what is going on in other divisions around BC:

https://divisionsbc.ca/provincial/news-and-events