Message from the Program Manager
Dear Valued Physicians and Partners,
From pandemics to pipelines, from floods to fires, and the disruptions associated with each – it’s been a challenging and productive 12 months for all of us. Locums for Rural BC (LRBC) has endeavoured to support and serve our communities through it all. Results up to the end of quarter 3 had us welcome 139 new locum physicians across all three programs, with 453 active members, and finding coverage for 80% of assignments which translated into 396 assignments filled with 1,780 days of coverage provided.
LRBC is an important program that supports both provincial recruitment and retention. Retention by way of providing full support and assistance to physicians and specialists practicing in rural communities so they can take reasonable periods of leave from their practices for continuing medical education (CME), vacation, and health needs. And recruitment in that we provide an opportunity to test out communities and happily “lose” locum members as they take on permanent positions in communities that they felt was a good fit. Eight members have taken on permanent positions in communities such as Kaslo, Chemainus, Cranbrook, Fernie, Bella Coola, Gabriola Island, Agassiz and Terrace. We happily welcome back those locum physicians who wish to become host physicians within their new communities.
My vision for 2022-23 is for the LRBC to be a dynamic program that meets the needs of the health system as well as our members, both locum and host physicians, in a pandemic and post-pandemic environment.
In light of this vision and our work plan, I am excited to announce a number of innovative initiatives. Below you will find information regarding policy changes, website enhancements, opportunities to meet with team members, and how to access real-time virtual supports being offered by our partners.
On behalf of the team, we remain committed to high-quality service standards and are honoured to be working alongside you as system partners. Please feel free to contact me at tracyd@locumsruralbc.ca or call 604 306 1652.
Take care,
Tracy
Policy: Rural Retention Program Changes Effective April 1, 2022
The Joint Standing Committee on Rural Issues (JSC), has approved the Rural Retention Program (RRP) rural isolation points, which may have some impact on communities under the Rural GP Locum Program (RGPLP) and the Rural GP Anesthesia Locum Program (RGPALP).
The RRP benefit is comprised of two components: a fee premium for physicians who practice in rural communities, and an additional flat fee payment for physicians who both reside and practice in eligible rural communities. The value and amount of RRP benefit is based upon the number of rural isolation points awarded annually to each Rural Subsidiary Agreement (RSA) community and is calculated using several established variables.
Over the past few years, the JSC has undertaken a thorough review of the RRP.
Effective April 1, 2022, new RRP points will be implemented. As a result, there may be some changes in the RRP fee physicians premium percentages applied to the daily rate in A and B designated communities under the RGPLP and the RGPALP. Although relatively few communities fall into this category, there is also the potential for communities to move from one community designation to another (i.e. from a B designated community to a C designated community) which could result in a difference in the percentage applied to the daily rate, the number of days a host physician is eligible for, and the accommodation and car rental reimbursements while on a locum assignment.
Effective April 2021, the JSC established a process to base the RRP points on a 5-year rolling average to help mitigate the annual fluctuations. This will be continued for 2022-23 and moving forward.
Please contact info@locumsruralbc.ca if you have any questions or concerns.
Web Enhancements
Enhancement projects include, amongst others, a financial release and the implementation of a resident portal.
The digital transformation journey continues in the financial release management system (website) update that will allow the digitization and electronic submission of financial forms. This will allow locums to submit the Assignment of Payment, Expense Claims, and Daily Rate/Honorarium forms online. The team prepares for implementation of the Rural GP Anesthesia Locum Program (RGPALP) in early 2022-23, followed by the Rural Specialist Locum Program (RSLP) and lastly the Rural GP Locum Program (RGPLP).
The aim of this project is to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the current financial form workflows and will assist in the automation of reporting. There will be improvements in the creation, submission, processing, tracking, and storage of locum physicians’ payment forms and records by generating and tracking these forms electronically.
With a systems approach to rural recruitment and retention, there will be a greater focus on residents including the development of a resident portal on the website.
Operations
All team members have transitioned to a hybrid office which means flexibility to work from both inside and outside of the office. Our new staffing model has all team members trained to provide travel concierge services.
For locum physicians, it’s contract renewal time for fiscal 2022-23 and it’s as easy as 1, 2, 3 through your LRBC account.
2. Follow the instructions provided, complete, and sign.
3. Upload full contract and submit.
Also, remember to provide an updated CV and CMPA.
To prevent having to go through the time-consuming, over-aged approval process, please submit your fiscal 2021-22 forms for payment and reimbursement claims prior to June 30, 2022.
Meet Our Team...In-Person!
Connect with us in-person if you happen to be at the Rural and Remote Conference in Ottawa from April 21-23, 2022, or the Rural Health Conference in Penticton from May 13-15. We look forward to meeting with you!
Testimonial: Dr. Clayton Hammet
Read more about this locum physician’s story, and how he discovered a new-found energy for his work!
Other Resources
Access a comprehensive list of programs and resources available to rural physicians on our website! Click here for information about continuing education, mentoring opportunities, available financial support, and more!
Join RCCbc's Real-Time Virtual Supports (RTVS)
Has your team used Real-Time Virtual Support? RTVS virtual providers are all physicians with an understanding of the challenges involved in rural practice and are dedicated to offering shoulder-to-shoulder support to physicians, midwives, residents, nurse practitioners, nurses – any rural health care worker – over Zoom.
The virtual providers, who are based all over the province, can help with both urgent and non-urgent cases and questions, including case consultations, second opinions, ongoing patient support, point-of-care ultrasound, and simulations. The service is getting rave reviews from providers across BC. Watch this video testimonial to find out more. You can get started with your own health authority Zoom account or access an account through RCCbc provided by the generous funding of the Joint Standing Committee on Rural Issues.
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Locums for Rural BC BC recognizes and acknowledges that all provincial public health opportunities and facilities are located on the ancestral and unceded territories of the Indigenous Peoples of British Columbia. As visitors, we feel it’s important to acknowledge the importance of these lands, which we each call home. We reaffirm our commitment and responsibility to improving our own understanding of local Indigenous peoples and their cultures.
Locums for Rural BC provides full support and assistance to family physicians and specialists practicing in rural communities across British Columbia, so that they can take reasonable periods of leave from their practices for vacation, health needs and continuing medical education (CME).
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