Medical Staff Contract Management performs these main functions:
- Negotiates and prepares medical staff contracts for clinical, on-call, medical leadership and physician administrative services
- Processes medical staff payments
- Facilitates medical staff contract management
- Provides stewardship for Ministry funds that support these services
A contract between Island Health and a physician will begin in one of two ways:
- A member of the medical staff or a medical staff group may contact a program area with a service proposal; or
- A program area may identify the need for a service and seek out a medical staff member or a medical staff group.
Contract Process
After the need for a service has been confirmed, Medical Staff Contract Management is contacted to assist in identifying possible funding sources, to discuss the contract terms and the identified services. When services and compensation have been identified, a contract is drafted and signed by the parties. If the contract is to be renewed, Island Health will either initiate the renewal or seek input from the contracting program.
Please direct questions to:
Medical Staff Contract Management
1837 Fort Street Rm 151
Victoria, BC V8R 1J6
Manager, Jessie Mathie, physiciancontracts@islandhealth.ca
Service & Sessional Contracts
Service and sessional contracts support the provision of clinical services throughout Island Health and are funded by the Ministry of Health, Alternative Payment Programs, and with approval, Island Health funding.
Service contracts are for agreed upon physician services and are paid on an FTE basis subject to the Physician Master Agreement (PMA) rates. Service contracts are used to provide dependable physician income in situations with low or variable patient volumes, or when the services to be provide are complex and time consuming and not well supported by fee-for-service. An example of a service contract is primary care services in rural communities such as Galiano Island, Cortes Island, etc.
Sessional contracts provide time-based funding for physician services where one session equals 3.5 hours. Sessional funding is often used when patient care is comparatively time-intensive. Sessional contracts are used extensively throughout Island Health to provide psychiatry services, rehabilitation services and GP oncology services to mention a few.
Contact Medical Staff Contract Management when exploring:
- What funding sources are available for clinical services?
- Clarity regarding existing contract language, service expectations, or reporting requirements
- Requesting changes to an existing contract
- Application process for a new sessional contract
The online sessional billing application can be accessed here on the Sessions Dashboard link.
Medical On-Call Availability Program (MOCAP)
The Medical On-Call Availability Program compensates physicians for on-call and availability coverage for new or unassigned patients requiring emergency care at a variety of facilities.
Please contact Medical Staff Contract Management when you are:
- Considering a MOCAP on call service, or changing an existing MOCAP contract
- Updating members of an existing MOCAP call group, or changing the group leader
The MOCAP application can be accessed on the OnCall Scheduling System link.
Medical Staff Leadership Contracts
These contracts support both the departmental medical structure and the Integrated Health Services co-management structure.
Please contact Medical Staff Contract Management when you are:
- Offering new medical staff leadership contracts
- Providing clarity around questions regarding contract language
- Providing notice regarding medical staff leaders ending their contracts
- Providing notice regarding medical staff who have been recruited, appointed to vacant positions or will end their term early
Medical Staff Contracts
Occasionally medical staff contracts for clinical or administrative services are needed to support specific initiatives. When initiating these contracts, please contact Medical Staff Contract Management to:
- Request a new contract
Begin the pre-approval form required (Executive Routing Form) to obtain approval to remunerate physician services through operating funds
Rural Programs & Benefits
Rural Programs include:
- Rural Retention Program (RRP)
- Rural Local Programs
- Recruitment Contingency Fund (RCF)
- Northern Isolation and Travel Assistance Outreach Program (NITAOP)
- Isolation Allowance Fund (IAF)
- Rural Continuing Medical Education (RCME)
- Rural Emergency Enhancement Fund (REEF)
- Recruitment Incentive Program (RIF)
Contact Medical Staff Contract Management when:
- New physicians are moving to a rural community
- Rural physicians are starting short or long-term leaves
- Physicians are moving out of a rural community or retiring
- Questions arise regarding what rural funding is available to support rural physicians or the provision of specialist services in a rural community
Physician Master Agreement
The Physician Master Agreement sets out the relationship and economic arrangements between the government of British Columbia and the Doctors of BC. Island Health operationalized the PMA and the Alternative Payments Subsidiary Agreement (APSA) through Medical Staff Contract Management. The current agreement was ratified in 2023 and runs until 2025.
For more information, check the Ministry of Health website or contact physiciancontracts@islandhealth.ca