November 3, 2020 Update: 'Pathways Virtual Care Directory' has now been changed to 'Pathways Medical Care Directory'
Family physicians in BC noticed a concerning trend with the onset of COVID-19 restrictions. Many British Columbians were not aware that family physicians continued to provide medical care for patients by telephone and telehealth, and were not seeking the care they needed.
New Westminster-based Dr John Yap remembers the exact date he and his four colleagues knew the way they provide care was about to change dramatically: Friday, March 13.
“We got official word to consider shifting to virtual care to help curtail COVID-19,” said Dr Yap. “The following Monday, we showed up to work as usual but as patients started cancelling their appointments, we realized we had to adapt, and quickly.”
You could say that, for Dr Sari Cooper, medicine is in her blood. Her experiences as a young girl while her brother, who is hemophiliac, was in and out of hospital for treatments, and then her family’s firsthand experience with the tainted blood scandal, left a life-long impression. The hospital waiting room, and connecting with doctors and nurses, became an integral part of her growing up years. “It was really scary for my family, from the ages of 12 to 17, we did not know whether he had contracted HIV,” said Dr Cooper.
Please read the GPSC's Community Longitudinal Family Physician (CLFP) Payment webpage for updated information on the CLFP Payment.
On May 28, 2020, the GPSC and BC Family Doctors hosted a live webinar to discuss new temporary billing changes effective June 1, 2020. These changes include new age-adjusted Telehealth fees and temporary changes to chronic disease management (CDM) visits and 14066 in-person requirements.
To support family physicians during the COVID-19 pandemic, GPSC billing educators covered the June 1 changes, other COVID-19 related fee changes affecting family physicians, and Pathways tools for COVID-19 care.
The GPSC and Doctors Technology Office (DTO) continues to provide support sessions and create resources to help physicians integrate virtual care into their practices. Recent supports include tips for getting patients back into the practice, new Zoom for Healthcare resources, and virtual care support sessions.
To support practice efficiency during the COVID-19 pandemic, the General Practice Services Committee (GPSC) is offering BC family physicians a one-time subsidy of $150 towards an eFax solution. This subsidy is available to practicing family physicians who pay for an individual license or contribute towards the cost of a shared/integrated eFax solution. The subsidy can be:
On Thursday, May 7 at 6 p.m. (PST) the Doctors Technology Office (DTO) is hosting “Getting Patients Back to Practice – Navigating the New Norm,” a physician-led webinar highlighting strategies for effectively communicating with patients to ensure that they are aware that virtual care is available, and are accessing appropriate and timely care.
On March 24, March 30, and April 7, the GPSC hosted webinars to discuss the incentive fees coming into effect on April 1, COVID-19 related fee changes affecting family physicians, and Pathways tools for COVID-19 care.
The April 7 webinar was recorded for physicians who weren't able to attend. The recording can be viewed by clicking here.
August 25th update: This webinar series will now be starting in September 2020. To view and register for the new dates, please click here.
After a successful first year, the GPSC will continue to offer its billing education webinars about GPSC incentive fees and select MSP fees for all family physicians.
Below are descriptions of the webinars, the new scheduled dates will be made available soon.