It took two external evaluations, along with consultations with individual specialists, two-thirds of the specialist sections and a number of other stakeholders to identify ways to improve the SSC fees. The enhanced fees focus on increasing Specialists' capacity, improving coordination of care, and improving patient access to Specialists’ expertise. The fees become a reality in the next month or so.
Some of the key highlights are a new Multidisciplinary Complex Patient Conferencing Fee to better support coordination of care for complex care patients between multiple specialists and providers, which includes extending how you can dispense advice. Now, you can be compensated for providing advice through email and video conferencing. In addition, the compensation for Group Medical Visits have increased by 50%.
Through our evaluations and consultations, we identified key barriers and opportunities for improvement, and from there a working group developed recommendations. These recommendations were approved by SSC and adopted by MSP.
A significant portion of the Physician Master Agreement is dedicated to fees, and we want to help you use these fees to improve patient care.
SSC is working with your section head to determine the best way to support you with the new fee and the improvements made to current fees to help make billing these fees easier.
Once implemented, there will be full details about these improved fees available on the SSC website: sscbc.ca under “Fees”. If you have any questions or need further information, please send an email to sscbc@doctorsofbc.ca
