The
province, through the Office of Primary Health Care, has released
the provincial framework document titled
Moving Forward Together: Mobilizing Primary Health Care. The
new framework for delivering primary health care services supports a
team-based, interdisciplinary approach to service provision. The
teams and networks of health providers are proposed to work in
partnership with patients and other stakeholders to provide a
continuum of services which include health promotion, illness
prevention, emergency transportation, management of acute and
chronic diseases, rehabilitation, and end of life care. Seven test
sites around the province at are varying levels of start-up.
A
working group with NLMA representation has been mandated, in part,
to identify and explore potential funding and payment models for
physicians. The Funding and Payment Models Working Group first met
in December and a second round of meetings was held in February.
It is
imperative that a renewed primary health care system have provider
funding and payment approaches that support desired outcomes. It is
recognized that there is no single ideal method of funding and
paying health care providers, it is also important to note that
physicians would not be subject to reduced income levels for
comparable levels of work effort.
The
Office of Primary Health Care will hold regional meetings to update
physicians on primary health care reform and to receive feedback
from family physicians interested in primary care reform.
Working
groups with NLMA representation have also been established to look
at information management and scope of practice.
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