The government will use the gross capitalization model until at least March 2023 to pay 19 doctors working in three primary care clinics in Chéticamp, New Minas and Upper Tantallon. Three other clinics, which include an additional 30 doctors, could be added to the pilot. “We hope this new model will encourage a team-based approach and make it easier for patients to receive the care they need when and where they need it,” Health Minister Michelle Thompson told reporters during a news conference in Halifax on Thursday. Blended Capitation is a model that pays doctors through a formula that takes into account how many patients are on their roster, the number of services they provide and may include a bonus if access to care is shown to improve. CLOCKS Amy Smith’s interview with Dr. Leisha Hawker, President of Doctors Nova Scotia:
The President of Doctors Nova Scotia for a new payment plan for family doctors
Dr. Leisha Hawker says most young GPs want to work in collaborative environments. Doctors in Nova Scotia are currently paid either on a contract basis or for a fee for the service. But Dr Leisha Hawker, president of Doctors Nova Scotia, said the majority of young GPs are looking for models that promote collaborative medicine. “They really want to do group health care,” he told reporters. Hawker and Thompson said mixed capitalization should lead to more appointments the same and the next day for patients and services on evenings and weekends, because if one doctor is not available, another doctor or other professional in the clinic could to intervene. Hawker said the payment model also addresses the fact that many patients are sicker and need more time with a doctor than are covered by current billing codes. “The way patient care is provided has changed and volume is no longer a good measure of good care,” he said. The pilot was agreed as part of the main Doctors Nova Scotia deal with the province in 2019, but Thompson said the delay was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. There is $ 7.3 million earmarked for its funding and the minister said a third-party assessment will determine what works and what needs improvement.
“We have to make a huge change,” says the NDP health critic
Opposition MLAs have hailed anything that could improve patients’ access to services, but said it was not enough. Although mixed capitalization is only being tested here now, it has been applied in other counties, such as New Brunswick, for years. NDP health critic Susan Leblanc said she was pleased the program was promoting more collaborative care, but said there was no reason to include so few clinics as part of the initial release. “We already know it works in other places, so let’s implement it,” he told reporters. “We do not have time to sit down and try things in small pieces. We have to make a huge change.” Liberal MLA Kelly Regan said the Tories promised during the election that they had a plan to fix health care and Thursday’s announcement is not far enough to live up to that promise. He said a variety of healthcare metrics have gotten worse since the Tories came to power last summer.
Waiting list of doctors up to 95,000
Prime Minister Tim Houston said during the election campaign that his plan for health care reform would take time and money and that things would probably get worse before they improved. Although the intention is to expand the use of gross capital after the pilot program, Thompson said doctors who prefer the pay-for-service model will still be able to use it. There are currently about 95,000 people on the county list to get a primary care provider. MORE TOP STORIES
