Clear Full Forecast

Docs To Be Paid for H1N1 Phone Advice to Patients

By 250 News

Monday, October 05, 2009 11:08 AM

Prince George, B.C. - The Province has arranged for physicians to receive extra compensation for telephone advice to patients who may have H1N1 flu.
 
As part of an agreement between the Province and the BC Medical Association, two new temporary fee codes, "Telephone Advice Regarding H1N1 Virus" and "Office Visit for H1N1 Virus", have been introduced into the Medical Services Commission payment schedule. The new fee codes will enable physicians to more appropriately diagnose and treat pandemic H1N1 patients.
 
Effective immediately, family physicians and specialists will be able to bill the "Telephone Advice Regarding H1N1 Virus". Physicians will receive $14.74 to provide telephone advice to high-risk patients with suspected or active H1N1 symptoms.
 
The H1N1 “office visit fee” is a family-doctor-specific fee that is not subject to the daily volume office visit restriction. It will be turned on upon the advice of the provincial health officer when the number of flu cases exceeds the historical average of seasonal influenza cases.
 
Doctors will also receive $31.15 for each H1N1 office visit.

Previous Story - Next Story

Email Email | Print Print | Share on Facebook Facebook | Tweet! Twitter | Digg Digg | Del.icio.us Del.icio.us

Posted on Monday, October 05, 2009 11:08 AM in News by 250 News

Return to Home
NetBistro

Comments

Comment Posted by: Loki on October 5 2009 12:05 PM
Stay away from other people, get lot's of rest, drink plenty of fluids, and take an over the counter pain reliever. If it remains persistent for more than 10 days, go to the walk in clinic because you won't get in to your family doctor for 2 months anyway.

That will be $14.74, than you.
Comment Posted by: numbers on October 5 2009 12:50 PM
Should we call you Dr. Loki?
Comment Posted by: Loki on October 5 2009 1:13 PM
plus hst
Comment Posted by: Loki on October 5 2009 2:43 PM
That is the gist of what those phone consultations will be. If a prescription is in order, there will be a fee for that.



Comment Posted by: Chester on October 5 2009 7:28 PM
When you call, can you only call about one thing? Make sure you discuss all of your symptoms to make sure of a proper diagnosis.

Same as an appointment, you can only go to your doctor with one issue. If you need your ears flushed, your skin problem looked at, your blood pressure checked and your runny nose. Expect to take time off work 4 times. Wonder why our health care system is overloaded? This kind of nonsense.

Regarding the H1N1 Virus, I understand the odds of you contracting it are about the same as you drowning in your bathtub.
Comment Posted by: MrPG on October 6 2009 3:51 PM
"Same as an appointment, you can only go to your doctor with one issue. If you need your ears flushed, your skin problem looked at, your blood pressure checked and your runny nose. Expect to take time off work 4 times. Wonder why our health care system is overloaded? This kind of nonsense."

The other side of that story is when you sit in the Dr.'s waiting room wondering why he's running an hour late... It's because people go in saying they need their ears flushed and then when they get in to see the Dr., they unload every other medical problem they have on them.

Comment Posted by: Chester on October 6 2009 7:47 PM
Mr. PG, maybe, but my experience has been that the main reason you wait for an hour to get into your doctor is because they have overbooked the doctor by 4 times as many patients as he can properly manage.