Information on this page is specific to the Vancouver Island Health Region. Find everything you need to know to apply for and complete a New-to-Practice Family Physician contract.

Please note that documents are subject to change at the discretion of each authoring organization and may vary over time. This is a ‘living library’ and, although we do our best to keep the most up-to-date versions, individual documents may not be the most current available. Please check directly with each authoring body for any questions/concerns.

View the September 26 NTP Contract webinar recording here.  

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The Individual Contract for New-to-Practice (NTP) Family Physicians is a new hours-based contract for individual family physicians who do not have a patient panel and wish to join an existing group practice to build a panel of attached patients (maximum 2-year duration). It provides income security for newly practicing physicians who are looking to build a patient practice in community longitudinal care.  

Eligibility and Commitments

• The physician does not have an established patient panel.
• The physician is prepared to join a full-service group clinic and sign a Practice Agreement with the clinic outlining how work will be coordinated to provide services to patients.
• The physician agrees to provide community longitudinal primary care services aligned with the principles of a Patient Medical Home.
• The physician must participate in an existing PCN or commit to actively support the development of a PCN in their community.
• The new physician must agree to act as a regular and most responsible primary care provider for a balanced patient panel of at least 800 new patients by the end of the first year of the contract, and 1,250 by the end of the second year prorated for any partial FTE.
• The physician must commit to working a minimum of 0.5 FTE, 840 to 1,050 hours per year.
• Full time physicians are expected to work 1,680 to 2,100 hours per year.

Before You Get Started

• Review the Doctors of BC Individual Contract for NTP Family Physicians webpage.
• Read about the new contract incentives  (new web page by MoH and HealthMatchBC)
• Read the NTP Contract FAQ (MoH).
• If you are interested in applying, please contact your Division of Family Practice to coordinate discussion and next steps.
• For help with understanding the QI expectations for a NTP contract please connect with Island Health’s Practice Support Program (PSP): RSP@islandhealth.ca

Finalizing the Island Health Contract

• Once your NTP contract has been approved, a member of the Island Health contracts team will contact you to complete the NTP contract
• NTP contract questions can be directed to: PCNMedAffairs@islandhealth.ca.
• NTP Family Physician Contract Template.
• Direct Deposit Application Form (Island Health).

Reporting During the Contract

Monthly Timesheet (for Island Health)

• Monthly Hours Report (Invoice)
• For assistance with timesheets and hours reporting, please contact: PCNMedAffairs@islandhealth.ca.

Encounters and Medical Services Plan (MSP) Reporting

• Encounter and Attachment Reporting and Billing Support Contact List (MoH): A quick-reference list for various needs (e.g., clinic setup, requesting new M status clinic payee number if you don’t already have one, reporting codes, etc.).
• Encounter Reporting for FP Contracts (MoH): Information on simplified encounter codes.
• Clinic Setup for Encounter Reporting (MoH): Step-by-step instructions on how to apply for an MSP billing number, complete the Assignment of Payment (AOP) form prepared by Island Health, and connect an MSP billing number to a clinic payee number.
• Encounter Reporting FAQ (FPSC).
• Shift Reporting and Shift Code Guidelines (MoH): Information on reporting shift hours via Teleplan.
• Patient Attachment Reporting: General guidelines to attachment reporting and attachment records.
• For any questions related to encounter reporting, please email: PCN.Compensation@gov.bc.ca.

EMR Resources

Encounter, Attachment and Shift Reporting EMR Orientation Guides

• Med Access
• Oscar Pro
• Oscar

Patient Attachment Form (for information only)

• The Attachment Conversation Form: Physician/practice and patient agreement terms for attachment.