Season's Greetings

Central Island Division of Family Practice wishes you and your families a happy holiday season.

Our office will be closed from 4pm on December 20, 2024, to 8am on January 2, 2025.

Celebrating a Great Year at the Division

Central Island Division of Family Practice is pleased to celebrate the recruitment of a number of family practitioners to both Oceanside and Port Alberni. As you know the Division works hard every year to attract new family practitioners to our area. 2024 has been a banner year with more recruitment success than in the previous number of years.

This effort does not just "happen". It is the result of significant efforts to attract, host and integrate new family practitioners to the area. As you also know, recruitment to any rural area is a particular challenge in these days of doctor shortages, but the staff, local family practitioners and community members have offered up great results this year.

I would personally like to thank everyone for their efforts in making Central Island an inviting friendly place to "land". Please join me in welcoming these new providers to our communities.

In Oceanside:

• Dr. Kendra Losch
• Dr. Edward Aasman
• Dr. Olajumoke Badmus Noorat
• Dr. Chandni Desai
• Dr. Robert Tremblay
• Dr. Neil Ingram
• NP Nadine Clark
• NP Melanie Tait

In Port Alberni:

• Eunice Finch, NP
• Dr. Janelle Schneider

Is the work over? No. Can we get greater results? Absolutely! And Central Island Division is committed to continuing this positive trend into 2025. And for now, we remain very optimistic about the coming year!

In recognition and welcoming of our newest members, CIDFP will be hosting a "meet and greet" dinner in January 2025, and I invite all of you to attend and show our newest members what a terrific community we are.

Until then, have a wonderful holiday season with friends and family. And good wishes for a positive Happy New Year.

Evelyn Clark
Executive Director
Central Island Division of Family Practice
“Making Health Care Better Together”

Celebrating the Staff

Here we are at the close of another year. I wanted to take the time to acknowledge the work of the staff at Central Island Division of Family Practice. Most of the work we do goes on "behind" the scenes and it is important to acknowledge the significant effort every staff member makes to help Central Island "punch above its weight" in the world of Divisions. This small division has been noticed by FPSC, Doc of BC and indeed the rest of BC for its energy, innovation and leadership in the work we take on. This is essentially due to the efforts of this talented staff.

They are:

Jill Skuse
The person behind the scenes who organizes our engagement sessions, office and community events. Jill's significant skills keep everything organized and the Division moving forward in a positive and collaborative way. She is in service to the Board of Directors and lead physicians in delivering reports and support materials for a myriad of zoom meetings every week. Jill ensures that invoices and wages are approved and paid in a timely manner and has oversight of accounting procedures and HR challenges. Jill keeps me moving forward daily, (not an easy task) for which I am extremely grateful.

Jennifer Taylor
Jennifer does significant work in the difficult recruitment side of things including hosting potential family practitioners, welcoming them when they arrive and helping them to settle into their new community. As well, Jennifer (who is a past MOA) acts as a coach for MOAs and new providers to assist in making their clinics run better. She also works together with Jill on engagement sessions and community events.

Sadie Mack
Sadie joined us this summer and has jumped into overseeing the challenging, often tricky, landscape of the Primary Care Network in Oceanside. We "stole" Sadie from another Division so she brings with her significant experience in Division-world which incorporates longitudinal care, in patient and long-term care. Sadie is helping to find a strategic way forward to both grow and continue the success of the PCN in Oceanside.

Tina Biello
Tina has been with the Division for 7 years and has been working closely with our First Nations partners in truth and reconciliation, bridging understanding between providers and our communities and enhancing understanding between those groups. As well, Tina has taken command of Shared Care projects over the years and has been acknowledged in BC as a leader in these innovative projects.

Amanda Salvage
Amanda has the big job of administrative oversight of both Primary Care Networks and helps Sadie and the (soon-to-be) Project Lead in Port Alberni to deliver both programs. Amanda also comes from the MOA world and, with that skill set, assists family practitioners in onboarding and mentoring allied health professionals in both PCNs. This big job also requires Amanda to support meetings and gatherings in aid of the PCN programs.

Tal Folka
Tal is our newest staff member with a focus on supporting and developing the Health Connect Registry and its incorporation into new and established practices. She monitors those lists, supplies patients to practitioners who are taking new patients and works in clinics to help build appropriate panels and attachment to practitioners. Tal has been thrown into a challenging job and has taken this challenge on with enthusiasm.

Is it all those people do? Nope. In my ineptitude, I have probably missed many things and not reflected properly what they do every day. But I challenge them by saying, "None of us is perfect, but every day, bring your best self to your job and you will be successful." So, I want to acknowledge each of these people's significant talents and expertise. Central Island Division is grateful to have you on this team!

Evelyn Clark
Executive Director

LFP Physicians and Locums: Re-enrol in 2025

All physicians enrolled in the LFP Payment Model need to re-enrol each year to continue billing under this model.

Step 1: Re-enrol in the LFP Payment Model

• LFP physicians with a patient panel must submit the enrolment code (98000) between January 1 and March 31, 2025.
• LFP locum physicians must submit the locum enrolment code (98005) and the LFP locum registration form between January 1 and March 31, 2025.

Step 2: Indicate the settings in which you intend to bill LFP

In addition, all LFP physicians and locums must submit setting registration codes that indicate the settings in which they will be billing under the LFP Payment Model in 2025.

• Clinic-based Services Registration Code (98002)
• Long-term care and palliative care facility services (98003),
• Inpatient services (98004), and
• Facility-based pregnancy & newborn services (98006)

Step 3: Submit portal code to be able to access fee-for-service codes for Excluded Services

Physicians are also advised to submit the CLFP Portal Code (14070) or Locum Portal Code (14071) to ensure access to FPSC-created fee-for-service codes when billing for Excluded Services.

• Excluded Services are ICBC services, WorkSafeBC services, care provided to out-of-province patients, as well as services provided in settings outside the LFP Payment Model (e.g. emergency rooms).
• You cannot bill fee-for-service for services that are included in the LFP Payment Model.

If an enrolment code is not submitted by March 31, 2025, no subsequent payments will occur under the LFP Payment Model until it is submitted.

More details about the steps for re-enrolment are available on the BC Family Doctors website.

Reminder to submit your 2024 LFP Panel Payment claim form

If you have not yet submitted the LFP Panel Payment claim form for 2024, you must do so by January 17, 2025 to receive the fourth quarter installment by February 28, 2025. The third quarter installment of the panel payment was remitted to eligible physicians on November 30, 2024.

Eligible physicians enrolled in the LFP Payment Model must submit an online claim form once per year to claim the panel payment for the year. If you have already submitted your 2024 claim form, you do not need to submit the claim form again. You can check if you have completed the current calendar year LFP Panel Payment Claim Form by accessing the detailed “Your Webform Submissions” table through your Doctors of BC account.

Instructions on how to claim the 2024 panel payment were emailed to individual physicians in March, June, September, and December 2024 under the title, “Action Required - Claiming your panel payment in 2024”.

For the 2025 LFP Panel Payment—eligible physicians will submit their claim forms at the beginning of the calendar year. Eligible physicians can expect to receive an invitation to submit their 2025 Panel Payment claim form by the end of January 2025.

If you have any questions, please contact the FPSC Billing Support team at FP.Billing@doctorsofbc.ca. Detailed Q&As on panel payments can be found in the BC Family Doctors Billing Question Library (login required).

New payment for comprehensive care and updates on FPSC funding

The Family Practice Services Committee (FPSC) recently shared an FPSC Special Update that included several funding updates, including:

• A new payment for comprehensive care that focuses on rural and mid-sized communities
• Long-term care and the Long-Term Care Initiative Advisory Group
• FPSC On-Call/Availability Funding for long-term care and inpatient care
• Clarification of LTCI MRP Payment eligibility requirements

Read more about these updates in the recent newsletter.

New billing tip videos on LFP communication and conferencing codes

There are three new billing tip videos that physicians can watch to gain a more in-depth understanding of some of the LFP communication and conferencing codes:

• Interdisciplinary Care Conference
• Family Conference
• Team Communication

All three of these videos are now live on the Doctors of BC YouTube channel at the links above and on the Doctors of BC website.

Rural Locum Forum returns in February

The Rural Locum Forum is back on February 8, 2025, at the Vancouver Island Conference Centre in Nanaimo.

This half-day event, set for 8 a.m.—1:30 p.m. will include educational presentations, and engagement sessions, plus space to socialize and exchange experiences of rural practice with other locums. Topics include a guide to being a locum in BC and tips and tricks for thriving in the rural ER.

Fees are $95 for physicians and $45 for residents.

Registration includes breakfast, refreshments, and lunch. Accommodation is available in Nanaimo for out-of-town visitors. The Coast Bastion Hotel is recommended but book early. You can request provincial government rates but on arrive, you must show identification to verify that you work in healthcare.

Registration deadline: February 3, 2025. On-site registrations will be available on the day.

REGISTER NOW

This event is hosted by RCCBC’s Rural Locums Initiative. For questions about this event or hosting a resource table, please reach out to locums@rccbc.ca

New Practitioner and Medical Office Support: We're Here to Help!

New Practitioner and Medical Office Support: We're Here to Help!
We have heard from our newest members about the need for additional MOA or clinic support in setting up efficient workflows and office procedures within their new practices. While this isn't a typical Division role, we would like to help ensure a smooth transition into practice by providing periodic in-office support to the clinic staff. We're committed to helping to achieve a successful start to your practice!

CME invite for Central Island Division physicians

Dr. Cait O’Sullivan is a pharmacist with Island Health and BC’s Provincial Academic Detailing (PAD) Service.
PAD is a province wide continuing medical education service who meet with physicians at a time that is convenient for physicians.

Please click here for more information.

We have a new topic launch:

1. COPD Update: Triple therapy, Device choice

And two ongoing topics:

1. Medications for weight Loss
2. Medications for osteoporosis.

For more information or to book a session with your Academic Detailing Pharmacist:
Phone or text: 250.202.0829

Dr Cait O’Sullivan, PharmD (she, her)
Island Health, Clinical Pharmacy Programs
BC Provincial Academic Detailing (PAD) Service
Phone, Text | 250.202.0829

Updated LFP Payment Schedule – effective November 1, 2024

A new payment schedule has been released that has an effective date of November 1, 2024. This payment schedule is backdated to enable ongoing LFP billing by locum physicians covering for doctors on APSA contracts.

The payment schedule also includes a few other updates:

• Clarification about how to submit two or more of the same billing codes on the same day (submission Code D)
• Clarification about billing for consultations in clinic and facility settings

We recommend reviewing the updated LFP Payment Schedule in its entirety to ensure that you are billing accurately. BC Family Doctors’ web resources, including the Simplified LFP Guide and Billing Question Library, are being updated to reflect all of the changes in the payment schedule.

Long-term care and Long-Term Care Initiative Advisory Group

We continue to work with communities to understand challenges in long-term care and problem solve solutions.

The Long-Term Care Initiative Advisory Group membership is being finalized and will start to meet in January. This group will bring together perspectives from divisions, family physicians, health authorities, and other long-term care system leaders to look at issues and help develop comprehensive solutions that support the unique needs of long-term care physicians and patients.

FPSC On-Call/Availability Funding for long-term care and inpatient care 

Based on physician feedback, we are modifying the Family Practice Services Committee (FPSC) On-Call/Availability Funding to enable more local flexibility, especially in smaller communities where one physician is simultaneously on-call for LTC and inpatient care.

Effective April 1, 2025, when the FPSC On-Call/Availability Funding for inpatient care is introduced, the maximum weekly cap for FPSC On-Call/Availability Funding for physicians covering both inpatient care and LTC at the same time will be increased to 1.5 times the maximum amount for an individual service (based on current parameters). 

Divisions can also submit proposals to repurpose existing unspent on-call/availability funds for the Long-Term Care Initiative (LTCI) as part of FPSC’s commitment to flexibility when meeting community service needs. This includes physician sessional payments for quality improvement (QI) and leadership, and/or physician payments for attachment stipends, first available bed, and recruitment incentives. Unspent funds must be allocated to physician payments only.

Please contact FPSCLTCI@doctorsofbc.ca for details on the process for submitting these proposals. 

Similarly, unspent on-call/availability funds for inpatient care can be repurposed specifically to support inpatient care activities. More details about the FPSC On-Call/Availability Funding for inpatient care will be shared as soon as they become available.

Home Oxygen Program

As of January 1, 2025, Island Health will change respiratory equipment suppliers for its Home Oxygen Program (HOP).
Applications for HOP from Acute Care clients will be referred to MedPro RespiratoryCare.
Applications for HOP from Community clients will be referred to Respiratory Homecare Solutions contactor for VitalAire
If you have any questions, please contact the Home Oxygen Program at 250-370-8840
Please click here for more information.

Ovarian Cancer Canada seeks to engage primary care providers

Ovarian Cancer Canada has established the Ovarian Cancer Prevention Task Force (OCPTF) with leading experts from across Canada to optimize the pathway to ovarian cancer prevention, emphasizing the critical role of primary care providers.

The OCPTF has developed two knowledge mobilization resources (available for download here with the option to order prints free of charge) to support ovarian cancer prevention in the primary care setting, including a clinical guidelines one-pager on how to assess patient risk of ovarian cancer and the associated referral pathways, and a waiting room poster for patients that can be posted by clinic staff.

For more information, contact Cailey Crawford at ccrawford@ovariancanada.org.

A new payment for comprehensive care that focuses on rural and mid-sized communities

As communicated through an FPSC Special Update on October 2, 2024, we are introducing a new physician payment for comprehensive care that focuses on rural and mid-sized communities. Based on physician feedback, the purpose of this payment is to encourage a broad scope of family practice, which is essential in rural and mid-sized communities. It also aims to support groups of family physicians (FPs) working together to meet community needs, to acknowledge the significant value and additional complexity of providing clinic-based care plus acute care, and to help support access to care in rural and mid-sized communities. 

The payment, which is expected to be introduced in April 2025, will be available to eligible physicians regardless of their payment model. Eligible physicians will receive up to $10,000 annually, plus the Rural Retention Program premium, for each of the following service areas for which they provide care:

• Emergency
• Assigned inpatient
• Unassigned inpatient
• Facility-based pregnancy and newborn
• Surgery and/or surgical assists
• Anesthesia

We are currently engaged in discussions with rural physicians to ensure that the design and delivery of this payment takes into account the feedback and input we have been hearing, particularly with respect to the range of rural practice arrangements.

We recognize that there are still significant challenges in long-term care (LTC) in communities across the province, encompassing both rural and urban communities. The FPSC is forming a new Long-Term Care Initiative Advisory Group, discussed in the next section, to support the development of a more comprehensive set of solutions to address the needs of LTC across the province.

Look for more information as details are confirmed.

Clarification of LTCI MRP Payment eligibility requirements

Based on family physician feedback, the FPSC is clarifying eligibility for the Long-Term Care Initiative (LTCI) Most Responsible Provider (MRP) Payment, as of July 1, 2024. 

The LTCI MRP Payment is intended to support FPs not enrolled in the Longitudinal Family Physician (LFP) Payment Model to continue providing care to LTC patients according to the 5 Best Practice Expectations, providing they meet all the other requirements of the payment, which are listed on the FPSC LTC webpage under the section on the “FPSC Long-Term Care Initiative Most Responsible Provider Payment”. FPs are required to participate in their local LTCI to be eligible for the payment.

Eligible physicians include:

• FPs who bill under fee-for-service for their clinic-based longitudinal services and NOT enrolled in the LFP Payment Model.
• FPs who are compensated under service contract, new-to-practice contract, salary agreement, or blended capitation for their clinic-based longitudinal services and NOT enrolled in the LFP Payment Model.
• FPs who provide long-term care services and do not have a clinic-based longitudinal family practice.

The following FPs are NOT eligible for the payment:

• FPs enrolled in the LFP Payment Model for clinic-based longitudinal care.
• FPs who provide long-term care services under a service contract, salary agreement, or sessional arrangement.

Eligible physicians will be contacted by the FPSC Billing Support Team in January on how to claim the payment. If you believe you might be eligible, but do not receive an email, please contact FP.Billing@doctorsofbc.ca

SWITCH BC Community Physician Health and Safety Program

The program will help support and enhance workplace health and safety for all physicians who work in the community along with their support staff. The program will provide tools and resources for community physicians to enhance the health and safety of their workplace, this includes psychological and physical health and safety, violence prevention, injury prevention, and more. It will also help ensure physicians can easily meet standards and requirements.
Please click here for more information.

MOA Panel Management Course Applications: NOW OPEN

Applications are now open for panel management training for medical office staff!

What is panel management?

Panel management is a process of proactively managing a defined population of patients, using EMR (electronic medical record) data to identify and respond to patients’ chronic and preventative care needs. The concept is simple: better information about patients leads to better care for patients

Click here to apply.

Contact Email for Questions: PSP@doctorsofbc.ca

Save the date: 2025 JCC Conference on October 6 & 7

The Joint Collaborative Committees (JCC) are pleased to announce the 2025 JCC Conference, a dynamic new event that will combine the Family Practice Services Committee Summit, Specialist Services Committee Symposium, and the JCC Showcase, featuring content from FPSC, SSC, the Shared Care Committee (SCC), and the Joint Standing Committee on Rural Issues (JSC).

When: October 6 & 7, 2025
Where: Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre, 1000 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC.

This event will offer a unique opportunity to connect, share ideas, and engage with peers from across the healthcare community. The JCC Conference will highlight the successes and challenges of JCC programs and quality improvement initiatives, aiming to inspire new ideas, foster collaboration, and promote ongoing advancements in healthcare. Join us as we share insights, spark conversations, and create a professional and engaging environment for all.

Stay tuned for more details and please mark your calendars now.
Website: https://www.collaborateonhealthbc.ca/event/2025-jcc-conference/

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